4 Players Who Could Come out of Retirement To Play World Cup 2027

The World Cup 2027 is still more than a year away, but teams have already started planning for the tournament. The event will be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

However, some big names have already stepped away from international cricket. Some of them could still help their teams if they decide to return and reverse their decision.

There is no clear indication whether they will return or not, but the World Cup 2027 could give them a reason to come back.

Let’s take a look at the 4 players who could come out of retirement to play in the World Cup 2027.

Steve Smith

Steve Smith retired from ODI cricket on March, 2025, after Australia’s loss in the semi-final of Champions Trophy 2025. He said it was the right time to give younger players a chance and allow Australia to prepare for the World Cup 2027.

Smith did not retire from international cricket completely and continued to play Test cricket for Australia.

He finished his ODI career with 5,800 runs in 170 matches at an average of 43.28. He scored 12 centuries and 35 fifties.

Smith has been part of two World Cup winning Australian teams. In the World Cup 2015, he scored 402 runs in eight matches. He played one of his best innings in the semi-final against India, scoring 105 as Australia reached the final.

He was also part of Australia’s World Cup 2023 winning team. Smith scored 302 runs in 10 matches as Australia won the title in India.

Smith will be 38 during the World Cup 2027, so age could be a concern. Australia are also looking to build their next generation of ODI batters. There is no indication at the moment that Smith is planning to come out of ODI retirement.

Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes has already shown that he can change his mind about retirement when a World Cup is coming.

Stokes first retired from ODI cricket in July 2022. He said playing all three formats had become too difficult for him.

However, he came out of retirement in August 2023, just a few months before the ODI World Cup in India. England wanted their experienced all-rounder back as they tried to defend their title.

There was one big problem. Stokes was dealing with a left knee injury, which affected his ability to bowl. He did not bowl during the World Cup 2023 and was mainly used as a batter.

He scored 304 runs in six matches, including a century against the Netherlands.

His biggest World Cup contribution came in 2019. Stokes scored 465 runs in 11 matches, took seven wickets and played a key role in England’s title winning campaign. In the final against New Zealand, he scored an unbeaten 84 as England won their first men’s ODI World Cup.

He also made a huge contribution in the T20 World Cup 2022 final where he scored 52 against Pakistan.

Stokes retired from international cricket in June 2026. He finished with 3,463 ODI runs in 114 matches, including five centuries and 24 fifties. He also took 74 wickets in the format.

However, Stokes has continued to play 50 over cricket after his retirement. He scored 108 not out for Durham in a domestic match in July 2026.

Stokes has already come out of retirement once because of a World Cup. That makes another comeback possible, although there is no indication that he is planning one.

If he stays fit, England could benefit from his batting, bowling and experience in big matches. His biggest challenge will be his fitness.

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Heinrich Klaasen

Heinrich Klaasen retired from international cricket on June 2, 2025, at the age of 33.

Klaasen had already retired from Test cricket before deciding to leave international cricket completely. He wanted to spend more time with his family and focus on franchise cricket.

He finished his ODI career with 2,141 runs in 60 matches at an average of 43.69 and a strike rate of 117.05. He scored four centuries and 11 fifties, with a highest score of 174.

Klaasen played in 2019, and 2023 edition of ODI World Cup. His best tournament came in 2023, when he scored 373 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 133.21.

He also scored a century against England in that tournament. His ability to attack spin made him one of South Africa’s most dangerous batters in the middle overs.

This could be important in 2027 because South Africa will host the World Cup along with Zimbabwe and Namibia.

His form in franchise cricket has also remained strong. In IPL 2026 for SRH, he scored 624 runs.

The biggest problem is that Klaasen appears happy with his decision to retire. He has spoken about enjoying more freedom after leaving international cricket.

However, a home World Cup could change his mind. South Africa have never won the men’s ODI World Cup, and having Klaasen in the middle-order would give them a player who already knows how to perform at the tournament.

Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran retired from international cricket on June, 2025, at the age of 29.

Pooran finished his ODI career with 1,983 runs in 61 matches at an average of 39.66 and a strike rate of 99.15. He scored three centuries and 11 fifties.

His best ODI World Cup came in 2019. Pooran was West Indies’ highest run scorer in the tournament, scoring 367 runs in eight innings at an average of 52.42. He also scored his first ODI century in the tournament, making 118 against Sri Lanka.

West Indies failed to qualify for the World Cup 2023, so Pooran has played only one senior ODI World Cup.

His retirement came as a surprise because he was still very young. Pooran had become one of the biggest names in franchise cricket and wanted to focus more on that part of his career.

Pooran will be only 31 during the World Cup 2027, so age is not a concern. There is no clear sign that Pooran wants to return to international cricket. However, if he changes his mind, West Indies could get back a player who has already shown that he can perform at the World Cup.

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