Moises Henriques to Lead Portugal in T20 World Cup Qualifiers

Moises Henriques, the former Australian allrounder, has taken on the role of captain for Portugal as they strive to qualify for the 2028 T20 World Cup. Following his retirement from Australian domestic cricket, Henriques is set to lead the team in the Europe Sub-Regional Qualifier C in Finland. Portugal, currently ranked 37th in the ICC T20I rankings, will face teams like Israel and Germany in their quest for qualification. The article delves into Henriques' cricketing journey and the squad's composition as they prepare for this crucial tournament.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 11, 2026, 23:28 IST

Moises Henriques Takes Charge of Portugal's T20 World Cup Quest

New Delhi [India] August 11: Moises Henriques, the former Australian allrounder, has been appointed as the captain of Portugal as they aim to qualify for the 2028 T20 World Cup. This announcement comes shortly after he declared his retirement from Australian domestic cricket.

As reported by Cricinfo, the 39-year-old will lead the Portuguese team in the men’s T20 World Cup Europe Sub-Regional Qualifier C, taking place in Finland. The team is set to compete for a spot in the global tournament scheduled in Australia and New Zealand.

Born in Madeira, which is an autonomous region of Portugal, Henriques has represented Australia in four Test matches, 16 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 24 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), accumulating a total of 44 international appearances. His last match for Australia was in 2021.

Having moved to Australia during his childhood, Henriques enjoyed a successful domestic career with New South Wales and the Sydney Sixers. He announced his retirement from Australian domestic cricket last month but plans to continue his playing career abroad.

Currently, he is contracted with Glasgow Cosmic in the inaugural European T20 Premier League and is now focused on leading Portugal in their qualification efforts.

Ranked 37th in the ICC men’s T20I standings, Portugal will compete against Israel, Germany, Greece, and Czechia in Group B of the Europe Sub-Regional Qualifier C from August 14 to 20.

The winner of this group will face the top team from Group A in the final on August 21. The overall champion will then move on to the European regional final, where they will encounter Scotland, Jersey, and Denmark.

The top two teams from the European regional final will qualify for the global qualifier, where they will vie for spots in the 2028 T20 World Cup.

Henriques succeeds Carlos Nunes as captain, who remains part of the 14-member squad for Portugal.

Portugal's squad also features several players with experience in higher-level domestic cricket, including former Sussex, Auckland, and Wellington wicketkeeper-batter Craig Cachopa, as well as Cameron Shekleton, who has played for South Africa A.

Other notable players in the squad include Sebastian de Oliveira, who has played a List A match for Gauteng alongside current South African batter Ryan Rickelton, and Siraj Ullah Khadem, a spinner from Bangladesh who was on the longlist for this year’s Hundred auction.

Portugal squad: Moises Henriques (capt), Craig Cachopa, Edward Fleming, Christopher de Freitas, Rahulkumar Hashu, Siraj Ullah Khadem, Hardeep Khuttan, Jeremy Martins, Dhavalkumar Norotam (wk), Jordan Netto, Carlos Nunes, Sebastian de Oliveira, Upen Shantu, Cameron Shekleton.

Portugal fixtures: vs Israel (August 14), vs Germany (August 15), vs Greece (August 17), vs Czechia (August 20), Final (August 21).