Last dance at T20 World Cup: Five veterans who could be playing their final T20 mega event

The 2026 T20 World Cup is almost here with 20 teams set to clash for the coveted trophy in the 10th edition of the tournament. India are the defending champions and are runaway favourites to retain the title but no team is pushover in this competition. Australia, South Africa are the other two serious contenders while some more teams have the potential to make deep runs.

World Cups are easily the most important events for any sports team but it takes added significance for some players who have been living with the dream of winning the trophy and are now nearing towards the end of their careers.

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Some big names are likely to say goodbye to the international format of T20 with age catching up quickly and franchise leagues offering better financial incentives. While a few of these players will be in contention to win the trophy, some might have to settle with just some big results.

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Here we take a look at five veterans who could hang their boots after the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup.

Glenn Maxwell

The ‘Big Show’ has been playing international cricket for 14 years and is 37 now. As the age is taking its toll, Maxwell is regularly having fitness issues. He has already retired from ODIs and also did not register for the Indian Premier League this year. He will be close to 40 by the time next T20 World Cup begins and this might be the last dance of one of the game’s most entertaining batters in the past decade. Part of Australia’s 2015 and 2023 Cricket World Cup and 2021 T20 World Cup winning sides, Maxwell already has multiple big trophies in his cabinet.

Mohammad Nabi

Nabi recently made history by playing alongside his son in the Bangladesh Premier League. At 41, Nabi is still going strong but with a lot of talent sprouting up in Afghanistan, the team might want to blood in a youngster going ahead. It could mean that Nabi, one of the mainstays of Afghanistan through their rise in international cricket, could retire from T20Is to focus only on the 2027 Cricket World Cup.

Sikandar Raza

One of the greatest Zimbabwe players in recent history, Raza too is moving towards the end of his career. He will soon turn 40 and the chances of him continuing till the 2028 T20 World Cup are slim. The all-rounder who has been in brilliant form recently in the SA20 might also want to play more franchise cricket going ahead to cash in on his last years of professional cricket.

Roelof van der Merwe

One of the rare players to have played international cricket for two different teams, Van der Merwe has represented both South Africa and Netherlands. He was part of the Proteas squads for the 2009 and 2010 T20 World Cups. In 2015, he turned up for Netherlands and has played multiple ICC events for the Dutch since then. He was part of the Dutch team that knocked out South Africa in the 2022 T20 World Cup but at 41, this might be the last we see of him at T20 World Cups.

David Miller

‘Killer Miller’ is close to turning 37 and will be almost 39 by the time of the next T20 World Cup. The left-handed hitter is also not at his best with the bat and was injured as well coming into this year’s tournament. Miller could also call time on his T20I career especially if the Proteas are finally able to win the trophy.