Moises Henriques Blasts 1st T20 Hundred For Portugal Right After Leaving Australia

Moises Henriques [Source: cricketportugal/Instagram]

Moises Henriques made instant impact for the Portugal cricket team after announcing his retirement as an Australian cricketer. Joining the nation of his birth after quitting Australian cricket, the seasoned all-rounder blasted an electrifying century against the Czech Republic in their Group B match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier C in Finland. 

The cricketer muscled 111 runs off just 51 balls with 12 boundaries and seven huge sixes. Playing just the third match of his Portugal career, the 39-year-old also secured a huge batting record for the associate nation.

Moises Henriques notches up Portugal’s second highest T20I score in just third game

Playing just the third match of his Portugal career, team captain Moises Henriques hammered 111 runs off just 51 balls against the Czech Republic at the Tikkurila Cricket Ground in Vantaa, Finland.

The innings marked Henriques’ maiden century in international cricket, and also his maiden T20 hundred overall. 

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Interestingly, the hard-hitting middle-order batter has now notched up the record of charting the second highest individual score for Portugal in their T20I history. Moreover, the 39-year-old also currently stands as one of only three Portugal players in history to score a T20I century. Here is a look at three of Portugal’s highest T20I individual scores.

Highest individual T20I scores by Portugal batters

1. Christopher De Freitas – 125 off 54 vs France, 2026
2. Moises Henriques – 111 off 51 vs Czech Republic, 2026
3. Azhar Andani – 100 off 51 vs Gibraltar, 2021

Moises Henriques achieves for Portugal what he could not for Australia

Moises Henriques made his international debut for Australia way back in February 2009 during a home T20I series against New Zealand. Up until August 2021, the cricketer played four Tests, 16 ODIs and 24 T20Is for Australia, but the star all-rounder never managed to register a single century for them.

After shifting to the nation of his birth, Portugal, as their captain no less, it took Henriques just one week to clatter his maiden international century which also happened to be his first-ever T20 hundred. His innings also helped Portugal secure a comprehensive 91-run win (DLS method) over the Czech Republic in Vantaa. 

Moises Henriques’ Portugal still unbeaten, T20 World Cup dream on

Under the leadership of Moises Henriques, the Portugal cricket team is yet to lose a single match in the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier C in Finland. With Portugal registering four wins in four games, the senior all-rounder and Portugal’s newcomer himself led the side in three of those matches. 

It is worth noting that the 39-year-old left Australian cricket to join Portugal in a bid to honour his Portuguese heritage. He also wanted Portugal to qualify for the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in a couple of years’ time.

A win in the ongoing Sub-Regional qualifiers in Finland will help Portugal to advance to the regional final, and take them one step closer into a dream World Cup qualification. 

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