New Delhi, Feb. 20 -- The associate teams at the T20 World Cup 2026 weren't just about mere participants. Instead, the likes of Italy and Nepal became genuine threats, pushing the full member sides to the brink. While none of the associates made it to the Super 8 stage, they have already left a significant mark among the cricket fraternity in the past two weeks.

If Netherlands had Pakistan almost crumble in Sri Lanka, the United States of America (USA) had India dance to their tunes until a Suryakumar Yadav show saved the defending champions. England surviving a Nepali scare by four runs in Mumbai proved that the associate nations aren't just minding the gap but they are closing it.

One of the major reasons for the associates' uprise is...