England at the T20 World Cup: A dismal debut, two Holland humiliations and a sweet 2010 triumph

As England prepare for their first game in the seventh T20 World Cup against West Indies in Dubai on Saturday, Sportsmail looks back at the highs and lows in their performances in the first six tournaments.

2007 (HOSTS: SOUTH AFRICA)

England had played just six games in the format before the inaugural World T20 in South Africa, losing four — and things did not improve after an easy opening victory over Zimbabwe.

Paul Collingwood’s side blended the likes of Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen with Darren Maddy, Jeremy Snape and Chris Schofield, county pros who had prospered in domestic T20.

England won the trophy in 2010 and have also experienced pain in the T20 World Cup

England won the trophy in 2010 and have also experienced pain in the T20 World Cup

But defeats by Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and India showed how far off the pace England were. Collingwood did make headlines, but only after visiting a lapdancing club in Cape Town the night before the South Africa game. 

‘Perhaps distracted,’ wrote Wisden, ‘he forgot to bowl Flintoff out.’ The final insult came when Stuart Broad was carted for six sixes in an over by Yuvraj Singh, as India racked up 218 for four at Durban.

ENGLAND: P5 W1 L4

KNOCKED OUT AT GROUP STAGE

WINNERS: INDIA

2009 (ENGLAND)

Hosts England began with one of the most humiliating defeats in their history, beaten off the last ball by Holland at Lord’s. Trying to defend seven off the final over, Broad missed three run-out chances and dropped a catch, prompting an orange pitch invasion by the disbelieving Dutch. 

England had their moments, comfortably beating eventual winners Pakistan after a 38-ball 58 from Pietersen, then pipping India by three runs after Ravindra Jadeja was mysteriously promoted to No 4 and ate up 35 balls in a match-losing 25. 

But defeats by South Africa and — in a game where Duckworth-Lewis did England few favours — West Indies meant they again failed to reach the last four. At this point, Collingwood’s team had won eight T20 matches out of 20.

ENGLAND: P5 W2 L3

KNOCKED OUT AT GROUP STAGE

WINNERS: PAKISTAN

2010 (WEST INDIES)

After 35 years of mainly unrelenting misery, England’s men finally lifted a global trophy, thrashing Australia in the final in Barbados. Collingwood said it was ‘right up there’ with the previous summer’s Ashes victory. 

The triumph was built around a powerful South African-born top three of Michael Lumb, Craig Kieswetter — both drafted in at the last minute — and Pietersen, who between them hit 607 runs off 467 balls. 

But England had come close to flopping once more: after another controversial Duckworth-Lewis defeat by West Indies, they were grateful when rain intervened against Ireland, with England defending just 121. 

After that, though, they were unstoppable, brushing aside Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Ryan Sidebottom provided crucial left-arm variety and England stuck to their plans. Until Luke Wright bowled a lone over in the final, the same five bowlers did all the work. It was a triumph for planning, organisation and flair.

ENGLAND: P7 W5 L1 NR1 (NO RESULT)

WINNERS: ENGLAND

England celebrate their 2010 triumph on the beach in Barbados after beating Australia

England celebrate their 2010 triumph on the beach in Barbados after beating Australia

2012 (SRI LANKA)

Now under the captaincy of Broad, England made a disappointing hash of their title defence in Sri Lanka — though they weren’t helped by the absence of Pietersen, who was on the naughty step because of the texts he had sent to South African players.

Wright enjoyed success as a pinch-hitter, starting with an unbeaten 99 against Afghanistan, but there were too many mishaps for comfort.

England were skittled for 80 by India’s spinners in Colombo, before Jonny Bairstow’s 29-ball 18 cost them the game against West Indies (who went on to win the competition), and Steven Finn kept knocking off the bails in his delivery stride against New Zealand.

Kieswetter, meanwhile, was not the force he had been two years earlier.

Faced with needing to beat Sri Lanka to reach the last four, they were blown away by Lasith ‘the Slinger’ Malinga’s five-wicket haul and that was the end of that.

ENGLAND: P5 W2 L3

KNOCKED OUT AT GROUP STAGE

WINNERS: WEST INDIES

2014 (BANGLADESH)

By the time England lost to Holland again, this time after being skittled for 88, their tournament was already over. 

Alex Hales did manage their first T20 century, inspiring victory over Sri Lanka at Chittagong with an unbeaten 116 off 64 balls. But, with Pietersen’s international career now in the past and Ben Stokes missing with a hand injury after punching a locker in the Caribbean, they lacked star quality. Broad was furious after the umpires failed to halt the game against New Zealand during an electrical storm, allowing Brendon McCullum to smash them ahead on Duckworth-Lewis.

And England knew their fate after a three-run defeat by South Africa, with AB de Villiers taking 26 off an over from Jade Dernbach. For Ashley Giles, then the limited-overs coach, the defeat by the Dutch was regarded as the end of his hopes of taking on the main job.

ENGLAND: P4 W1 L3

KNOCKED OUT AT GROUP STAGE

WINNERS: SRI LANKA

Joe Root (right) comforts a devastated Ben Stokes (left) after a fateful last over in the 2016 final

Joe Root (right) comforts a devastated Ben Stokes (left) after a fateful last over in the 2016 final

2016 (INDIA)

Nearly 30 years after Mike Gatting’s infamous reverse sweep arguably cost his team the one-day World Cup final at Calcutta against Australia, England suffered more Eden Gardens trauma. 

When Stokes began the competition’s last over, West Indies still needed 19 — only for Carlos Brathwaite to launch him for four sixes. 

‘Remember the name!’ screamed Ian Bishop up in the commentary box. England have not forgotten. Their passage to the final included a chase of 230 to beat South Africa at Mumbai, where Joe Root hit a brilliant 83 off 44 balls, and a nervy defeat of Afghanistan, after England had slipped to 85 for seven batting first. 

Victories over Sri Lanka and New Zealand followed, and Eoin Morgan had one hand on the trophy as Stokes ran in to Brathwaite.

ENGLAND: P6 W4 L2

LOST IN FINAL

WINNERS: WEST INDIES

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