A taal is not just a count of beats; those beats are grouped into vibhags (sections). Teen Taal, for instance, divides its sixteen matras into four vibhags of four.
Each vibhag opens with either a clap (tali) or a wave (khali). This pattern of claps and waves is what lets a listener — and the accompanist — always know where in the cycle they are, and feel the approaching sam.
Different taals are partly defined by their vibhag structure: Jhap Taal's asymmetric 2+3+2+3 grouping is what gives it its distinctive gait.