The first men’s T20 International match was played in 2005, when Australia faced New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland.
The match took place on 17 February 2005 and was designed partly as a light-hearted experiment. Players wore retro-style clothing and some adopted 1980s-inspired moustaches and hairstyles, reflecting the novelty of the new format. Australia won convincingly, with Ricky Ponting scoring 98 not out and leading the side to victory.
T20 cricket had first been introduced domestically in England, where the inaugural official matches were played in 2003. The international version followed in 2005, although the first women’s T20 International had already been played in 2004 between England and New Zealand. That distinction explains why some sources give 2004 when asking about the first T20I of any kind.
The first men’s match was not part of a World Cup: the inaugural men’s T20 World Cup was held in South Africa in 2007, and India won the final against Pakistan.