Speed of improvement matters more than how good you are at a given point or how much bigger your resource pool is.

This occurred to me while watching the start of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup this weekend. The associate member nations have teams which are markedly improved since the last edition of the tournament in 2024. For example, The Netherlands almost upset Pakistan and USA almost upset India on the first day of the tournament this year! As a cricket fan, such results would be unthinkable even a few years ago.

I’m sure complacency in the reigning heavy weights is a factor, but the rate of improvement in the other teams is perhaps the most striking factor. In a short timespan, these teams are focused on improving all aspects of their game to get super close to world-class level.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we see an associate member take the cup in the next decade. I’ll surely be watching!