The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup got underway with a Group A match between Netherlands and Pakistan at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Saturday, February 7. West Indies will face Scotland at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in Group C in the second match of the day. In the evening, co-hosts India will face United States at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in a Group A clash.
The ongoing tournament is the 10th edition of the T20 World Cup. The inaugural edition was held in South Africa in 2007. India hosted the tournament for the first time in 2016. The West Indies emerged champions in that edition, beating England in the final by four wickets at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The game is remembered for Carlos Brathwaite’s four sixes off Ben Stokes in the last over.
A number of players who were part of the 2016 T20 World Cup in India are featuring in the 2026 edition as well. In this listicle, we look at five such players.
#1 Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Team India’s current pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah played his first T20 World Cup in 2016. The right-arm pacer featured in five matches and claimed four wickets at an average of 38.25 and an economy rate of 7.65. Bumrah claimed 1-15 in four overs against New Zealand in Nagpur in the Super 10 match. He was expensive in the semifinal against West Indies in Mumbai, with figures of 1-42.
Overall, Bumrah has featured in 18 T20 World Cup matches and has claimed 26 wickets at an average of 14.30 and an economy rate of 5.44. He was the Player of the Tournament in 2024 for claiming 15 scalps at an economy rate of 4.17.
#2 Hardik Pandya (India)
Hardik Pandya was also part of the Men in Blue squad that reached the semifinals of the 2016 T20 World Cup. In five matches, the right-arm pacer claimed five wickets at an average of 28.60 and an economy rate of 10.21. Pandya claimed 2-36 against Australia in Mohali in the Super 10 match. In the semifinal against West Indies, he had 0-43 from four overs. He didn’t have much to do with the bat.
Pandya has played 24 T20 World Cup matches in which he has claimed 24 wickets at an average of 21.66 and an economy rate of 8.52. His best of 3-20 came in the 2024 final against South Africa. With the bat, Pandya has scored 357 runs at a strike rate of 142.23.
#3 Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
Maverick Australian batting all-rounder Glenn Maxwell also featured in the 2016 T20 World Cup held in India. In four matches, he scored 109 runs at a strike rate of 129.76. Maxwell smashed 30 off 18 against Pakistan in Mohali in the Super 10 clash. With the ball, he claimed 2-18 against New Zealand in Dharamsala, dismissing Kane Williamson and Corey Anderson in the Super 10 clash.
Maxwell has featured in 31 matches in the T20 World Cup and has scored 578 runs at an average of 27.52 and a strike rate of 146.32, with three half-centuries. With his off-spin, he has claimed 12 wickets at an economy rate of 7.68.
#4 Jos Buttler (England)
England’s seasoned keeper-batter and former captain Jos Buttler was also part of the 2016 T20 World Cup held in India. In six matches, the destructive right-handed batter totaled 191 runs at an average of 47.75 and a strike rate of 159.16. Buttler’s top score of 66* came off 37 balls against Sri Lanka in Delhi in the Super 10 round.
Overall, Buttler has played 35 T20 World Cup matches and has scored 1,013 runs at an average of 42.20 and a strike rate of 147.23, with one ton and five fifties. He was the captain of the England team that won the 2022 edition in Australia.
#5 Mitchell Santner (New Zealand)
Current Kiwi skipper Mitchell Santner also featured in the 2016 T20 World Cup in India. In five matches, the canny left-arm spinner picked up 10 wickets at an average of 11.40 and economy rate of 6.27. Santner bamboozled India with figures of 4-11 in the Super 10 match in Nagpur as the hosts were bundled out for 79.
Santner has played 21 matches in the T20 World Cup and has claimed 25 wickets, averaging 18.72 at an impressive economy rate of 6.33. He registered figures of 3-31 against Australia in Sydney (2022) and 2-8 against Uganda in Tarouba (2024).
Other players from T20 World Cup 2026 who also played the 2016 edition
Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
Quinton de Kock (South Africa)
Adil Rashid (England)
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan)
Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe)
George Dockrell (Ireland)
Johnson Charles (West Indies)
Shehan Jayasuriya (He represented Sri Lanka in 2016 and is playing for the United States in 2026)
Edited by Renin Wilben Albert
