History-chasing India are the 11/8 favourites with BOYLE Sports to become the first country to win back-to-back men’s T20 World Cup titles this year. Co-hosts with Sri Lanka , India won the inaugural tournament in 2007 but had to wait almost two decades to get their hands on the trophy again, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat to beat South Africa in the 2024 final.
India have lost some key names from that star-studded side with captain Rohit Sharma , star batter Virat Kohli and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja all having retired. However, they remain the team to beat under Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy and boast the world’s top-ranked T20 batter ( Abhishek Sharma ) and bowler ( Varun Chakaravarthy ) in their ranks.
If the Champions Trophy holders triumph again on home soil, they would be the first nation to win three men’s T20 World Cups as well as the first to successfully defend their crown. Here, BOYLE Sports takes a look at the T20 World Cup contenders.
T20 World Cup Contenders
Who Can Stop The Co-Hosts?
Australia
Australia
Australia look to be India’s nearest challengers and are 4/1 to win their second T20 crown. Mitchell Marsh leads a squad which is packed full of big-hitting talent and spin options designed to thrive on the Sri Lankan pitches, where they play all four of their group games.
Four members of Australia’s victorious Ashes squad are also involved in the form of Travis Head , Cameron Green , Josh Inglis and Pat Cummins, although seeing in-form fast bowler Mitchell Starc hang up his T20 boots last year was a blow.
There have also been doubts around the fitness of his fellow pacemen, Cummins and Josh Hazlewood , as well as batter Tim David, so contingencies will need to be in place.
England
England
England are 9/2 to emerge victorious in Ahmedabad or Colombo on March 8 and certainly have the firepower and wicket-taking ability to add to their triumphs in 2010 and 2022. Much could depend on veteran spinner Adil Rashid, but England have several other slow-bowling options in Rehan Ahmed , Liam Dawson,
Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell. Up top, they have arguably the most dangerous opening partnership in the game in Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, while captain Harry Brook will be looking to make headlines for the right reasons after a forgettable Ashes tour.
South Africa
South Africa
South Africa are 6/1 to go one better than 2024, but, despite finally ending their trophy drought at last summer's World Test Championship final , there remain question marks over their white-ball credentials. The Proteas should have won the T20 World Cup two years ago, but requiring just 26 runs off 24 balls with six wickets in hand to beat India in the final, they ended up losing by seven runs.
That was the latest in a string of limited-overs disappointments for the African nation , who had lost all five of their 50-over World Cup semi-finals as well as both T20 semi-finals before finally reaching the final in 2024. They followed that breakthrough in 2025 by beating Australia to win the WTC final , and, although that was a different format, it should give the likes of T20 captain Aiden Markram , Marco Jansen , Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada confidence they can get over the line at international level.
Outsiders
Best Of The Rest
Beyond those four nations, the often-dangerous New Zealand, who are above South Africa in the T20 world rankings, are 12/1 to be crowned champions with Pakistan 16/1, while two-time winners West Indies are 18/1.
Afghanistan are 25/1, and conditions should suit the 2024 semi-finalists and their brilliant battery of spinners, but the loss of experienced paceman Naveen-ul-Haq to injury is a setback.
Bet on Cricket Odds at BOYLE Sports
*Prices are subject to fluctuation.
Remember, Always Gamble Responsibly.
