T20 World Cup: Top-five player watch; Sharma, Raza, Abrar, Brook, Maxwell

T20 World Cup: Top-five player watch; Sharma, Raza, Abrar, Brook, MaxwellThe 2026 edition of the ICC T20 World Cup boasts the game’s greatest names and Al Jazeera Sport picks our top five.Published On 6 Feb 2026The 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.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Pakistan Super League signs Bangladesh’s Mustafizur after IPL controversylist 2 of 4Boxer Khelif says she is open to genetic testing by IOC for 2028 Olympicslist 3 of 4‘It hurts me’: Guardiola says he will continue to stand up for Palestinelist 4 of 4‘Moral degenerate’: Ukraine furious at Infantino over Russia ban commentsend of listAl Jazeera Sport takes a look at five of the top names at the tournament that will be hoping to lead their side to the 2026 final on March 8.Abhishek Sharma – IndiaThe 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 – ZimbabweAn 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 – PakistanWrist 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.