3 Oldest players in T20 World Cup 2026: Age, stats & career highlights

The T20 World Cup 2026 got underway on February 7, 2026. While the shortest format is associated with exuberance of youth, there are plenty of old warhorses rubbing shoulders at the tournament with players half their age, bringing their wealth of experience to the fore.

Here are three oldest cricketers playing in the T20 World Cup 2026:

3) Roelof van der Merwe (Netherlands) - 41 years, 39 days

Roelof van der Merwe celebrated his 41st birthday on December 31, 2025. van der Merwe commenced his international career with South Africa before switching to the Netherlands. He made his T20I debut against Australia in 2009 and made an immediate all-round impact, smacking 48 and returning figures of 1 for 30 to bag the Player of the Match award. He played 26 matches across ODIs and T20Is in his brief career with the Proteas.

Since making the switch, van der Merwe has established himself as one influential figure in Netherlands' cricketing setup. A veteran of 66 T20Is, the all-rounder has amassed 561 runs at an average of 22.44 and a strike rate of 129.57. With the ball, he has 74 wickets at an excellent average of 18.85 and an economy rate of 6.51.

2) Wayne Madsen (Italy) - 42 years, 37 days

Wayne Madsen, who turned 42 on January 2, is set to lead Italy at the T20 World Cup 2026, taking over the mantle of captaincy from Joe Burns. Born in Durban, South Africa, Madsen made his T20I debut at 39 through his Italian passport, which he had originally acquired to play county cricket.

His journey in international cricket began at the European Regional Qualifier for the 2024 T20 World Cup, with Italy missing to qualify narrowly. Madsen, who won the Player of the Match award in his T20I debut game against Jersey, has played seven matches in his brief career, scoring 205 runs at an average of 34.16 and a strike rate of 132.25, including two half-centuries.

1) Mohammad Nadeem (Oman) - 43 years, 157 days

At 43, Oman’s Mohammad Nadeem is the oldest player at the T20 World Cup 2026. Born in Sialkot, Pakistan, he has been a key player in the Oman team, having played 70 T20Is and grown in his role as a middle-order all-rounder.

Nadeem has consistently delivered for Oman, often bailing them out with crucial unbeaten knocks. While he might not be flamboyant, his ability to absorb pressure and finish games has been one of the reasons behind Oman’s rise at the international level. He has scored 805 runs at an average of 20.64 and a strike rate of 104.96 to go with 40 wickets at an average of 29.22 and an economy rate of 7.61.