5 stars who might play their last T20 World Cup! Former champions included

Adil Rashid and Glenn Maxwell could retire before next T20 World Cup [Source: CricUniverse7, CricCrazyJohns/X.com]

The much-anticipated T20 World Cup is 20 days away, with 20 teams set to battle it out for supremacy in the format in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.

Among the stars featuring will also be some bona fide T20 legends who have been around for a long time and will be crucial to their respective teams' chances at the tournament. As the age catches up and the youngsters rise, we take a look at the players who could be playing their last T20 World Cup in 2026.

Five T20 stars who could be playing their last T20 World Cup

1. Glenn Maxwell

One of Australia's biggest white-ball stars, Glenn Maxwell, who turned 37 in October 2025, has already retired from ODI cricket earlier in June. Additionally, he has also opted out of the forthcoming season of the IPL, where he last featured for the Punjab Kings in 2025.

By the time the next T20 World Cup is played, Maxwell will be 39, and he will likely retire from all international cricket well before that. Ahead of the 2026 edition, he has played 126 T20Is and scored 2835 runs at a strike rate of 155.76 and was a part of their 2021 title-winning team in the UAE.

2. David Miller

Maxwell's partner from his Kings XI Punjab days, David Miller, is another name who has been around the international circuit since 2010 and has made some crucial contributions in ICC events, especially whenever the Proteas found themselves under pressure. He will turn 37 later this year and 39 by the 2028 edition, making it difficult to think that he will stay around.

He has played 133 T20Is before the 2026 event and scored 2630 runs at a strike rate of 140.56, and was a crucial cog in their run to the final in 2024. Considering the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 will be played at home, he could call it a day at the end of the 2027 tournament.

3. Adil Rashid

The crafty leg spinner Adil Rashid has been among England's mainstay in both ODIs and T20Is for over a decade. Having made his debut in 2009, he was also a part of their 2022 title-winning squad and turns 38 in the middle of this year's tournament, i.e., closer to 41 at the 2028 T20 World Cup.

So far, he has played 137 T20Is and is England's leading wicket-taker in the format with 150 scalps — 42 more than the next best. He has bowled these overs at an economy of 7.44.

4. Sikandar Raza

Leading his team in an ICC event for the first time, Sikandar Raza is arguably the biggest T20 star his country has produced and is a prized commodity in T20 leagues around the world. Currently, he is 39 and soon turns 40 in April, which is a clear indication that he might not continue till the 2028 T20 World Cup, when he will be over 42.

Right now, he has 2883 T20I runs in 122 innings as Zimbabwe's highest run-scorer to go with 102 wickets, only behind Richard Ngarava's 108. To go with this, he is highly in demand in franchise cricket and has played 343 T20s with 231 scalps and 6891 runs, predominantly as a finisher.

5. Mohammad Nabi

Mohammad Nabi, who recently featured in BPL alongside his son Hassan Eisakhil, has been an instrumental figure in Afghanistan's rise in world cricket and earning the full member status for the country and is also among the active players in league cricket. However, he recently turned 41 in January and will be close to 44 by the time the next edition is played.

Before the 2026 edition kicks off, he has played 148 T20Is with 2430 runs — most for Afghanistan, striking at 136.59. With the ball, he has 104 wickets, which is only second to Rashid Khan's 185. He is also closing in on 500 T20 matches and 7000 runs, having recently completed 400 wickets.