Arya News - The 2026 edition of the ICC T20 World Cup boasts the game’s greatest names and Al Jazeera Sport picks our top five.
The ICC T20 World Cup has been a showcase of the big-time – and biggest hitting – stars of cricket since the tournament’s inception in 2007.
The latest edition in India and Sri Lanka will be no different, with the evolution of the shortest format of the game continuing to break records and defy the odds.
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Abhishek Sharma – India
The world appears to be at the feet of Abhishek Sharma; indeed, it has appeared that way since he was signed by Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League at the age of 17.
Now 25, the left-hander has established himself as one of the most feared T20 batters in world cricket – striking at nearly 200 in his 38 T20 international appearances on arrival at the tournament. The Punjab-born opener has yet to appear in Test or one-day international cricket for India, but has already recorded two centuries and eight fifties for his country in the shortest format.
India’s Abhishek Sharma made his international debut in 2024 [Satish Kumar/Reuters] Sikandar Raza – Zimbabwe
An elder statesman at the tournament, Sikandar Raza commands huge respect not only in Zimbabwe but also in Pakistan. Born in Punjab, the 39-year-old switched Asia for Africa with his family just after the turn of the century.
The right-handed batter, who also bowls both off and leg-break, made his debut for Zimbabwe in 2013 and has 152 appearances across all formats on arrival at the T20 World Cup. It is in the shortest format where he has achieved the most success, becoming a gun player for numerous T20 sides the world over.
Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza has one T20 international century and 16 fifties to his name [Anjum Naveed/AP] Abrar Ahmed – Pakistan
Wrist spinners have long been regarded as the key to any successful T20 side and, in Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan have a player capable of turning a match on sixpence. The 27-year-old leg-break bowler only made his Test debut in 2022 and had to wait until 2024 to make his bow in both white-ball formats.
Then, 116 wickets for his country followed, including 46 in T20 internationals at an average of 17 with an economy just below seven. The greatest challenge for Abrar in his career has sadly been persistent back injuries, which slowed his early years and delayed his international debut. Both he and Pakistan will hope those problems are long behind him now.
Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed took six wickets in the recent 3-0 T20 series win against Australia [K M Chaudary/AP] Harry Brook – England
Arguably England’s most exciting talent, Harry Brook certainly has the ability to be their most explosive. The 26-year-old batter already has 134 caps for his country, with 13 centuries in that time, and claimed a T20 World Cup winners’ medal at the 2022 edition.
The right-hander was the first Englishman to score a triple century in Test cricket since Graham Gooch’s 333 against India in 1990. Brook’s effort came in Pakistan in 2024 and was achieved at nearly a run-a-ball. He has already represented three teams in the IPL and has 169 T20 appearances to his name in total, with three centuries and 16 fifties at a strike rate of 152.
England’s Harry Brook in action [Lahiru Harshana/Reuters] Glenn Maxwell – Australia
Maxwell has long been the darling of white-ball cricket the world over. The best example of his incredible talent came when, severely hampered by injury, he dragged Australia into the semifinals of the 2023 Cricket World Cup with an unbeaten double century.
The 37-year-old had the nickname “The Big Show” long before that knock, and has been a near ever-present – and one of the highest earners – in the Indian Premier League. Maxwell arrives in India and Sri Lanka with 281 international appearances under his belt, and – even with age against him – one of cricket’s greatest game changers could well have another trick up his sleeve for Australia.
Glenn Maxwell made his Australia debut in 2012 [Darren England/EPA]