T20 World Cup 2021: Top 5 oldest players to have played for India in the tournament's history

The International Cricket Council (ICC) launched the T20 World Cup in 2007 with the aim of taking the shortest format of the game to newer heights. The seventh edition of the ICC T20 World Cup is currently underway in the UAE and Oman.

Many fans initially felt that the T20 format belonged only to youngsters. However, quite a few senior cricketers have proven the critics wrong by performing exceptionally well in the T20 arena. Some of them have even played match-winning roles for their respective nations at the ICC T20 World Cup.

In 2021, Ravichandran Ashwin is the oldest player in India's T20 World Cup squad, aged 35 years and 34 days (as of October 21), but Ashwin will not be the oldest player to represent India in the T20 World Cups. Another Indian player holds the record for being the oldest player to play for the country at the mega event.

In this listicle, we will look at the top five oldest cricketers to have played for Team India in the T20 World Cup so far.

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#5 Virender Sehwag - 33 years and 346 days

Virender Sehwag played his last T20I against South Africa

Virender Sehwag made his last T20I appearance for India at the ICC T20 World Cup 2012 in a Super 8 game against South Africa. The explosive Indian opener failed to fire on all cylinders in that do-or-die match.

Sehwag opened the batting for the Men in Blue but scored only 17 runs off 14 deliveries. He was 33 years and 346 days old when he played that match. The Indian team never picked him in the T20I playing XI after that fixture.

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#4 Zaheer Khan - 33 years and 360 days

Zaheer Khan played his last T20 World Cup match in 2012

Former Indian left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan is one of five players to have played for India in the ICC T20 World Cup since turning 33 years old. Khan donned the blue jersey for the country in the 2012 edition of the mega event.

He played his last match against South Africa on October 2, 2012, where he returned with brilliant figures of 3/22. However, he never played a T20I match again for India.

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#3 Yuvraj Singh - 34 years and 106 days

Yuvraj Singh played his last T20 World Cup match against Australia

Yuvraj Singh was the hero of India's first T20 World Cup title win in 2007. The all-rounder gained everyone's attention by smashing six sixes in an over bowled by England's Stuart Broad.

Singh played his last T20 World Cup at home in 2016. His final appearance came in a Super 10 match against Australia, where he scored 21 runs. The southpaw missed the semifinal match against the West Indies because of an injury.

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#2 MS Dhoni - 34 years and 268 days

MS Dhoni captained India in his last T20 World Cup match. Unfortunately, the Men in Blue suffered a defeat in the semifinal game against the West Indies, but Dhoni played a good knock of 15 runs from nine balls in that match.

Dhoni was 34 years and 268 days old on March 31, 2016, when he donned the blue jersey for the last time in his T20 World Cup career.

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#1 Ashish Nehra - 36 years and 337 days

Ashish Nehra holds the record for being the oldest Indian player to have played a T20 World Cup match. The left-arm fast bowler was almost 37 when he played for the country in the 2016 T20 World Cup semifinal against the West Indies.

Nehra was India's best bowler that night, returning with figures of 1/24 in his four overs. Unfortunately, his effort went in vain as India lost by seven wickets.