T20I cricket is the youngest format of international cricket. Test cricket began back in the 1800s, while ODI matches came into existence in 1900s. The T20 format was accepted at the international level in the 2000s, and it was in 2007 after the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup, that all the nations took this format of the game seriously.
Many fans feel that this format is for the youngsters, however, some experienced players have proven their worth with their commendable performances in the shortest format of the game over the last few years. In this listicle today, we will look at those players who made their T20Is debut before 2007 and are still active.
1. Dinesh Karthik made his T20I cricket debut in 2006
Veteran Indian wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik made his T20 international debut in 2006 when the Men in Blue played their first-ever T20I match against the South African side. He was dropped multiple times in his career, but Karthik always made a comeback and is still playing for India.
2. Chris Gayle made his T20I cricket debut in 2006
Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle played the first T20I of his legendary career against New Zealand in 2006. He played for West Indies in ICC T20 World Cup 2021 and is yet to retire officially.
3. Shakib Al Hasan made his T20I cricket debut in 2006
Current Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan has been one of the best all-rounders in the history of T20I format. He made his debut against Zimbabwe in 2006 and has been an important part of the T20I team since then.
4. Mushfiqur Rahim
Veteran Bangladesh wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim also made his debut in that game against Zimbabwe. Both Shakib and Rahim have been the backbone of the Bangladesh team in the white-ball formats.
5. Sean Williams
In the same game, Zimbabwean all-rounder Sean Williams also made his T20I debut. He is still active and regularly plays T20I matches for the Zimbabwean team.
