Best Win-Percentage in a Calendar Year

India were in tremendous form in T20I cricket in 2024 and won 24 of the 26 matches they played in the format for a win-percentage of 92.3%! It was not only the best win-percentage for any major team in 2024 but the best ever in a calendar year. Pakistan were victorious in 17 of their 19 matches in 2018 for a win percentage of 89.47% - the previous best numbers for a top 10 nation. India won five bilateral series in 2024 – one each against South Africa, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. They were ruthless and won by a margin of more than 100 runs on three occasions in 2024 – a feat they had achieved just four times until the end of 2023.

Most 200-Plus Scores & Record Totals

India registered as many as nine 200-plus totals in 2024 – the most for any team in any calendar year. They had breached the 200-run mark 7 times in 2023. They blasted the two highest T20I totals ever by a major cricket playing nation in 2024! India hammered a colossal 297/6 against Bangladesh in Hyderabad in October – breaking Afghanistan’s record of 278/3 against Ireland in Dehradun in 2019. They hammered 152 runs in the first half of their innings which was the second-highest team score after the first 10 overs in T20I history by a top 10 nation – Australia had piled on 156 in the first 10 overs against Scotland in Edinburgh in September. Sanju Samson was the star performer with the bat for India and hammered 111 off just 47 deliveries.

Barely a month down the line, India again rewrote the record books hammering 283/1 against South Africa in Johannesburg. It was the fifth-highest team score in T20I history and the second-highest by a major cricket playing nation. Tilak Varma produced a scintillating unbeaten 120 off 47 deliveries while Samson smacked his third T20I ton of the year, remaining undefeated on 109 off 56 deliveries.

Champions of the 2024 T20 World Cup

India defeated South Africa in a thriller of a final at Barbados to lift their second T20 World Cup trophy in June after their maiden title in South Africa in 2007. India dominated the tournament not losing a single encounter in the competition.

Skipper, Rohit Sharma led from the front and was India’s leading run-getter with an aggregate of 257 runs in eight innings at a stunning strike rate of 156.7. His exploits included three fifties. Rohit continued with this attacking template in the powerplay and had a scoring rate of 148.1 in the first six overs.

Jasprit Bumrah was the standout bowler of the tournament and returned with 15 wickets in eight matches at a strike rate of 11.86 and economy of 4.17. He was sensational with the new ball and at the death and conceded just 4.07 and 4.37 runs per over respectively in these phases of play. Arshdeep Singh was the joint-highest wicket-taker of the tournament with 17 dismissals.

India’s aggressive template in the powerplay & soaring run-rate

India, led by Rohit Sharma, completely overhauled their approach to batting in T20I cricket post their early shock exit from the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. The mini-revolution saw India go on an all-out attack in the powerplay in order to maximize the fielding restrictions.

India’s run-rate increased from 8.2 in 2021 to 9.2 in 2022 & 2023 and went up a notch further to 9.6 in 2024 – it is the highest scoring rate for them in any calendar year (min. 8 matches). In fact, it is the second-highest run-rate for any team in any calendar year (min. 15 matches) only behind Australia’s 9.74, also in 2024. India’s balls per boundary ratio of 4.7 in 2024 was also their best for any year as was their boundary percentage of 64.4%. India blasted 236 sixes in just 26 innings in 2024 and their six per match average of 9.07 is their best for any calendar year.

There was a direct correlation between India’s aggressive template in the powerplay (and beyond) and success. India’s win percentage increased from 62.5% in 2021 to 70 in 2022 to 92.3% in 2024 which also included a T20 World Cup title.

Best bowling average in 2024

The Indian batters were not the only ones to make a statement and break barriers during the year. The bowlers made significant contributions too. India picked 204 wickets in 2024 – the most for any team at an average of 18.18 – the best amongst the major cricket playing nations in the world. India’s propensity to pick wickets was also their best in any calendar year – they had a bowling strike rate of 14.8 in 2024. They were also very restrictive with an economy rate of 7.35 – again the best in the world amongst the top 10 teams.

India bowled their opponents out in 10 of their 26 matches in 2024 – the most for any top 10 team in any calendar year! India’s average wickets per match of  8.39 was also the highest for any top 10 team in any calendar year in T20Is.