Michael Atherton Hails India's ‘Pre-Eminent’ White-Ball Team Status, Says ‘Could Mop Up All Three ICC Limited-Overs Titles’

T20 World Cup: Former England captain Michael Atherton said India are the "pre-eminent" white-ball team in world cricket, and believes that Suryakumar Yadav’s team now have strong chance of holding all three ICC limited-overs titles.

India lived up to their tag of overwhelming favourites, and they crushed New Zealand by 96 runs in the T20 World Cup final, securing their third title and becoming the first team to successfully defend the championship.

This historic triumph also marks India's first T20 World Cup victory on home soil. The team's predominant performance was powered by outstanding batting displays from Sanju Samson (89), Abhishek Sharma (52), and Ishan Kishan (54), and stellar bowling from Jasprit Bumrah (4-15).

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"India are more than a pre-eminent T20 side. They are the pre-eminent white-ball side at the moment. In the last few ICC global events, before today, they have won 30 out of 32 games. They have only been beaten in the final of the 50-over World Cup here by Australia, and that game by South Africa earlier in this tournament,” Atherton said on 'Sky Sports Cricket'.

"Across the board in white-ball cricket, they are the pre-eminent side. They were the strongest side here and deserve their victory," he added.

India's supremacy in limited-overs ICC events started with the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they won every match before losing the final to Australia at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Then, they went unbeaten in the 2024 T20 World Cup and followed it up with another excellent campaign in the 2025 Champions Trophy, showcasing their strength in white-ball cricket.

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"They may well mop it all up. There is a 50-over World Cup next year, and they have the chance now to hold the Champions Trophy, T20 World Cup, and the 50-over World Cup all in one go, and that will surely be their aim," Atherton said.

Now India will have the chance to hold all three ICC limited-overs trophies, with the next 50-over World Cup scheduled for next year.