Table of Contents
India have been one of the most dominant teams in T20I cricket over the last few years. The Men in Blue won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024 and followed it up with another title-winning campaign in 2026. Bilateral T20I series defeats have therefore been extremely rare.
In fact, India have lost only three T20I series in this decade so far. Those defeats came against Sri Lanka in 2021, West Indies in 2023, and, most recently, against Ireland in 2026.
India’s defeat against Ireland in Belfast was not just another bilateral series loss. It ended a remarkable run of dominance in T20 cricket. Before the Ireland series, India had gone unbeaten in their previous 16 T20I series and tournaments, winning 15 and drawing one. During that period, they won two T20 World Cups, an Asia Cup and multiple overseas bilateral series.
The result also made Shreyas Iyer only the third Indian captain this decade to lose a T20I series after Shikhar Dhawan and Hardik Pandya.
Here’s a look at every T20I series defeat India have suffered this decade.
Sri Lanka stunned a depleted Indian side in 2021
India’s first T20I series defeat of the decade came during their tour of Sri Lanka in 2021 under Shikhar Dhawan.
The visitors started strongly by winning the opening match and looked on course for another comfortable series victory. However, things changed dramatically after several Indian players were forced into isolation due to COVID-related concerns within the squad.
With a severely weakened playing XI, India struggled in the remaining two matches. Sri Lanka seized the opportunity and won the second T20I by four wickets before wrapping up the series with a seven-wicket victory in the decider.
The result was historic for Sri Lanka as it marked their first bilateral series win over India across formats since 2008. Several young Indian players were handed opportunities during the series, but the inexperienced lineup could not overcome the challenge posed by the hosts.
West Indies ended India’s dominance in a thrilling 2023 series
India’s next T20I series defeat arrived two years later against the West Indies in the Caribbean. The five-match series was tightly contested from start to finish. West Indies drew first blood by defending 149 in the opening match and then took a 2-0 lead after another close victory in the second T20I.
India responded brilliantly. Suryakumar Yadav’s explosive batting helped the visitors win the third T20I, and they then produced a dominant performance in Florida to level the series 2-2.
With everything to play for in the fifth and final match, India posted 165/9. However, Brandon King and Nicholas Pooran powered West Indies to an eight-wicket win with two overs to spare, sealing the series 3-2.
The defeat was particularly disappointing because India had fought back from 0-2 down and seemed to have regained momentum before stumbling in the decider.
Ireland script history against world champions in 2026
The most recent addition to the list came in June 2026 when Ireland produced one of the biggest upsets in T20I history.
Fresh from their T20 World Cup triumph, India travelled to Belfast for a two-match series under new captain Shreyas Iyer. Ireland shocked the visitors in the opening match, posting 182/9 thanks to captain Lorcan Tucker’s half-century and Gareth Delany’s quickfire 49 before bowling India out for 148 to register a 34-run victory.
The second T20I was even more dramatic. Ireland managed 154/8 and then held their nerve to defend the target by just one run. Matt Hollard and Jai Moondra starred with the ball as India were bowled out for 153 while chasing 155.
The result completed a 2-0 sweep and handed Ireland their first-ever bilateral T20I series win over India. It was also India’s first T20I series defeat since the West Indies tour in 2023.
Ireland’s achievement becomes even more impressive when viewed through the lens of ICC rankings. The Irish side entered the series outside the ICC Men’s T20I top 10 rankings and did not have a single batter in the top 50 or a bowler in the top 25 of the ICC rankings.
Yet they managed to beat the world’s No.1-ranked T20I team and the reigning T20 World Cup champions. India also fielded three of the world’s highest-ranked T20I batters, with the No.1, No.2 and No.6 ranked batters all featuring in the playing XI.
The 2-0 sweep not only secured Ireland’s first-ever bilateral T20I series win over India but also ended India’s 16-series unbeaten streak in the shortest format.
A rare list for Team India
Despite the setback against Ireland, India’s overall record in T20 cricket during the 2020s remains extraordinary. The Men in Blue have won two T20 World Cups, an Asia Cup, multiple overseas series and have lost only three bilateral T20I series in the entire decade.
Those defeats came under three different captains: Shikhar Dhawan against Sri Lanka in 2021, Hardik Pandya against West Indies in 2023, and Shreyas Iyer against Ireland in 2026.
The Ireland defeat will hurt because of the circumstances surrounding it, but it also highlights how rare T20I series losses have become for India in modern-day cricket.