Moises Henriques smashes maiden T20I century for Portugal: Why former Australia star switched allegiance

Moises Henriques' century helped Portugal beat Czechia by 91 runs in the 2028 T20 World Cup Europe Sub-Regional Qualifier C match in Finland on Thursday. Henriques won the Player of the Match award for his heroics, scoring 111 off 51 balls with 12 fours and seven sixes at a strike rate of 217.64. Portugal posted 211/6 from their 20 overs; rain interrupted Czechia’s chase, reducing their target to 116 from 8.5 overs under Duckworth-Lewis-Stern. Czechia managed only 24/5, securing Portugal’s victory. Henriques’ maiden T20I century was his fourth appearance for Portugal, marking his immediate impact on his international return with an unbeaten 66 from 39 balls against Israel in their opening match, helping Portugal win by 94 runs. Why did Moises Henriques switch allegiance to Portugal? His connection with Portugal stems from his birthplace in Funchal, Madeira. After moving to Australia as a child, he developed his cricket career there, signing his first New South Wales contract at 17 and making his first-class debut in 2006. His Portuguese birthplace later provided eligibility to represent Portugal internationally. After retiring from Australian domestic cricket in July 2026, Henriques took up the opportunity to play for Portugal, being appointed captain for their campaign to qualify for the T20 World Cup 2028. His aim is to take Portugal to the T20 World Cup 2028, inspired by Italy’s success in their first-ever T20 World Cup earlier this year. He mentioned, ‘Obviously, the ideal would be to replicate what Italy have done,’ though he acknowledged the challenge. Henriques had previously represented Australia 44 times across all formats between 2009 and 2021, with records including four Tests, 16 ODIs, and 24 T20Is. His international career began with debuts for Australia in 2009, and he captained Australia’s Under-19 side at the 2006 Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets and 150 runs. He retired in July 2026 as the most-capped player in Australian domestic cricket history, with 420 appearances for NSW and the Sydney Sixers across formats, winning 14 major trophies.