Spain cricket team (left) and Ricky Ponting

Not Australia, England, India or Pakistan. Spain have become the team with the longest winning streak in international cricket, breaking the record previously held by Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh’s Australia.Spain are currently playing in the Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifiers in Southern Finland and have won all their matches in the tournament so far. Their latest victory came against Bulgaria on August 18, when they chased down a target of 60 in just 29 deliveries, winning by nine wickets.Spain moved past Australia’s record when they beat Finland in their opening match on August 14. That victory was their 21st in a row in international cricket, taking them one win beyond Australia’s previous record of 20.They have since extended the streak to 24 consecutive victories after beating the Isle of Man, Luxembourg and Bulgaria.Spain’s 24-match winning run has included T20I series against the Isle of Man and Jersey, as well as two series against Croatia. The two Croatia series were separated by the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier in 2024, where Spain finished second after one of their matches was abandoned.

How Australia’s record was set

Australia’s previous record of 20 consecutive international wins came across Tests and ODIs under Waugh and Ponting.The run began on January 11, 2003, when Australia beat England in Hobart. It continued until the third Test against the West Indies in Bridgetown in May 2003.Australia’s winning run finally ended when the Waugh-led side lost the fourth Test against the West Indies.During that period, Australia went unbeaten in the 2003 ODI World Cup after winning all their matches in a tri-series involving England and Sri Lanka. They then switched to Test cricket and won three matches against the West Indies.Ponting captained Australia in the ODI tri-series and the World Cup, while Waugh led the team in Tests.Australia played 17 ODIs and three Tests during their 20-match winning streak.Spain have now gone past that mark, extending their international winning run to 24 matches.