Top 10 players who might be playing their final World T20

After the World T20 2016, the following edition of the World T20 will only be played in 2020, keeping in line the tradition of World Cups. With a sufficient number of players in the side well above the age of 30 and others running helter-skelter for form, we may well see a chunk of these players suffer from form in the months to come. That said, here is a list of 10 players who may well be playing their final World T20 for their country. 1. Mashrafe Mortaza Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images) Mashrafe Mortaza was perhaps the obvious choice for Bangladeshi captaincy following the failures of Mohammad Ashraful and Shakib Al Hasan. Mortaza has led Bangladesh into the light of day, where they have become a certain force to reckon with. However, it seems as though age has caught up with him as he went on to state that he would take a call on his career at the conclusion of the World T20 2016. At the age of 32, Mortaza has played 160 and 46 T20Is, a complete career one may assume. 2. MS Dhoni India’s captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. (Photo by PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP/Getty Images) MS Dhoni has done Sourav Ganguly could never do. He has scaled heights no other Indian skipper has accomplished. With pride bursting out of the MS Dhoni trophy cabinet, one can certainly assume that there isn’t much left for MS Dhoni to achieve. However, the 34-year old has underlined time and again his importance in the side. However, with the next World T20 4 years away, it would seem as though MS Dhoni may well call time on his career much earlier. 3. Yuvraj Singh Yuvraj Singh. (Photo Source: BCCI) Not many gave Yuvraj Singh a chance at selection at the start of the World T20. However, he surprised one and all by making it back to the side. He repaid the faith the selectors put in him with an impressive performance in the final few games of the Asia Cup T20. With fitness and age not on his side, Yuvraj Singh’s participation in the following World T20 in Australia seems to be highly unlikely. 4. Shane Watson Australia’s Shane Watson. (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images) Shane Watson had contemplated retirement ever since he was dropped from the Indian side. Watson has been a mainstay in the Australian side ever since his inception in the side in 2004. He has also captained the side on few occasions and was the highest bid in the IPL auction as he picked up by the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Watson seems to be at the twilight of his career and similar to Yuvraj Singh, Watson’s participation in the following World T20 seems unlikely. 5. Chris Gayle Chris Gayle of the West Indies. (Photo by Pal Pillai/IDI via Getty Images) At 36, it seems as though Chris Gayle can do no wrong when it comes to T20 cricket. Long arms, a massive frame and a huge bat, Chris Gayle is a brutal smasher of the cricket ball. Although he would love to keep going on, age is catching up with the Jamaican as he seems to be moving toward the end of his career. Gayle has two centuries and the most number of sixes to his name in T20 international. 6. Samuel Badree West Indies bowler Samuel Badree (L) celebrates with teammate Dwayne Bravo. (Photo by PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP/Getty Images) 33-year old Samuel Badree is a late blossomer. Having started his career in 2000/01, Badree has risen to prominence only now. He has also entered the tournament as the number one bowler in the world. His ability to spin the ball the way he can is something of a miracle while he has proved to be a good replacement for Sunil Narine. He is perhaps the only person on this list who has a remote chance of featuring in the 2020 edition of the World T20. 7. Shahid Afridi Shahid Afridi of Pakistan. (Photo by Vivek Prakash-IDI/Getty Images) Although the Pakistani skipper has flirted with retirement for the last few years, his innings against Bangladesh in the ongoing World T20 highlighted the genius of the man. That performance, as many say, has probably saved the career of Shahid Afridi as we know it. At 35 and seemingly pressurized into retirement, Afridi’s international career however, seems to be well and truly over. 8. Lasith Malinga Lasith Malinga. (© Ishara S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) Lasith Malinga went down in the history books of Sri Lankan cricket after guiding the Island nation to their first World Cup win since 1996. However, while his recent form may be extraordinary, Malinga has been at the receiving end of injuries right through his career. The niggles in his knee have seen him step down from captaincy. It is widely expected that he will be forced to call time on his career as soon as the following year. 9. Dale Steyn Dale Steyn of South Africa. (Photo by Graham Crouch-IDI/IDI via Getty Images) South African bowler Dale Steyn is perhaps the only South African who features on this list. A long-term injury saw Steyn lose his place in the side. Despite the fact that he has been included in the side once again for the World T20, Steyn is not the same fiery pacer of yesteryear. Steyn has been quizzed about his retirement in the early part of the year, something he didn’t take to very well. 10. Nathan McCullum Nathan McCullum. (© Getty Images) Nathan McCullum was brought into the New Zealand side on the perusal that this would be his final piece of the action in a New Zealand shirt. With his younger brother announcing his retirement earlier this year, Nathan McCullum will be looking to go out of the sport on a high, with the World T20 title in his arms perhaps.

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