Saturday, July 4, 2026

Friday, July 3, 2026

Age is just a number – The 7 oldest batsmen to smash T20 tons

Pamela Rios July 03, 2026 Leave a Reply
Age is just a number – The 7 oldest batsmen to smash T20 tons

While Twenty20 cricket is often labelled a young man’s game given how is demands raw athleticism, there is still a place for wily veterans as these elder-statesman batters have shown – proving that timing, experience, and supreme fitness can defy the biological clock.

Scoring a century in the shortest format requires an intense burst of energy and high-speed boundary-striking. When batsmen cross the age of 40, such milestones become legendary.

Here are the seven oldest instances of batsmen aging like fine wine to smash unforgettable T20 centuries.

1. Faf du Plessis (41y 340d) – Texas Super Kings (2026)

Standing alone at the top of this list is the evergreen South African mastermind, Faf du Plessis. Representing the Texas Super Kings against Seattle on 18 June 2026, the former Proteas skipper hammered a breathtaking, unbeaten 113 off just 52 deliveries.

Known for his immaculate physical conditioning and textbook power-hitting, Du Plessis dismantled the opposition attack, cementing his legacy as one of the most durable and destructive modern T20 openers.

2. Paul Collingwood (41y 65d) – Durham (2017)

England’s 2010 T20 World Cup-winning captain, Paul Collingwood, showed he still had the magic touch during the 2017 T20 Blast.

Turning out for Durham against Worcestershire on 30 July 2017, the gritty all-rounder rolled back the years with a spectacular 108 not out from 60 balls.

Collingwood, revered for his fierce competitive spirit and exceptional fielding, relied on clever placement and fierce running to produce a masterclass in veteran batting.

Also read: Ranked – Ben Stokes compared to arguably the best all-rounder in Test cricket history

3. Graeme Hick (41y 37d) – Worcestershire (2007)

A true titan of county cricket, Zimbabwe-born England batsman Graeme Hick was an early pioneer of T20 hitting. Long before the format became heavily analytical, Hick showcased his brute strength on 29 June 2007.

Playing for Worcestershire against Northamptonshire, the powerful right-hander bludgeoned a chaotic 110 off a mere 49 balls. Hick’s natural power allowed him to clear boundaries effortlessly, proving that classical batsmen could still dominate the T20 arena.

4. Faf du Plessis (40y 351d) – Texas Super Kings (2025)

Du Plessis’s dominance in Major League Cricket is a recurring theme on this list. Just a year before breaking his own MLC record, he took MI New York to the cleaners on 29 June 2025.

He carried his bat to finish on 103 not out from 53 balls. His uncanny ability to manipulate fields and accelerate in the death overs made this innings a blueprint for anchoring a high-paced T20 innings at an advanced age.

5. Faf du Plessis (40y 342d) – Texas Super Kings (2025)

Remarkably, just nine days prior to his onslaught against New York, Du Plessis had already breached the triple-figure milestone. On 20 June 2025, he blazed exactly 100 off 51 balls against the San Francisco Unicorns.

This particular week-long purple patch highlighted his astonishing recovery times and mental stamina, showing that his age did not hinder his ability to perform in back-to-back elite matches.

6. Ravi Bopara (40y 122d) – Northamptonshire (2025)

Renowned for his smooth stroke play and clever medium-pace, England veteran Ravi Bopara joined the elite over-40 centurions club on 3 September 2025.

Suiting up for Northamptonshire, Bopara ruthlessly destroyed a star-studded Surrey bowling unit, racing to an unbeaten 105 from only 46 deliveries. Bopara used all his franchise experience to manipulate fields, showcasing the timeless art of hitting 360-degree cricket shots.

7. Faf du Plessis (39y 361d) – Texas Super Kings (2024)

Narrowly missing his 40th birthday, Du Plessis kickstarted his incredible late-career century streak on 8 July 2024. He struck a magnificent 100 off 58 balls against Washington Freedom.

This knock laid the foundation for his subsequent years of dominance in America, proving that age only enhanced his tactical acumen and boundary-clearing prowess.

Read next: Blurred boundary lines – The shaky disciplinary record of Ben Stokes on and off the field

The post Age is just a number – The 7 oldest batsmen to smash T20 tons appeared first on Cricket365.



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Thursday, July 2, 2026

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Cradle to the crease – the 9 youngest men’s T20I debutants

Pamela Rios July 01, 2026 Leave a Reply
Cradle to the crease – the 9 youngest men’s T20I debutants

As Indian batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gears up for his highly anticipated international debut against Ireland, the cricket world is once again marvelling at teenage brilliance.

While Sooryavanshi’s journey from explosive IPL sensation to the senior national side highlights the fast-tracked nature of modern tier-one cricket, he enters an arena whose history belongs to an even younger breed of pioneers.

Driven by the expansion of Twenty20 International status to all Associate Members of the ICC, a distinct group of players has stepped onto the global stage before even turning 16.

Supported by official career data, here is how the nine youngest men’s international cricketers fared on debut and where their careers have taken them since.

1. Marian Gherasim (Romania): 14 years, 16 days

Stepping onto the field against Bulgaria during the 2020 Balkan Cup, Romanian medium-pacer Marian Gherasim became the youngest male international cricketer in history. Gherasim did not get a chance to bat or bowl in his rain-affected debut.

He remained a part of the national squad setup until 2022, balancing the physical development needed for senior international bowling with early youth cricket.

2. Alkinoos Manatos (Greece): 14 years, 207 days

Young Greek bowler Alkinoos Manatos made his debut against Serbia in June 2021 during the Sofia T20 tournament.

Tasked with maintaining discipline at a tender age, Manatos went wicketless on debut but provided crucial squad depth for Hellas cricket.

3. Meet Bhavsar (Kuwait): 14 years, 211 days

Unlike many on this list who debuted as lower-order filler players, Kuwait’s Meet Bhavsar was trusted as a frontline wicketkeeper-batter against the Maldives in 2019. He scored a composed 22 runs on debut.

Bhavsar has evolved into a genuine star for Kuwait. He transitioned seamlessly into a pillar of their top order, registering consecutive T20I fifties and appearing globally in showpiece fixtures like the Hong Kong Sixes.

Also read: Ranked – Ben Stokes compared to arguably the best all-rounder in Test cricket history

4. George Sesay (Sierra Leone): 14 years, 311 days

Right-arm medium bowler George Sesay debuted against Nigeria in October 2021. He went wicketless but showed immediate control, conceding only 20 runs from three overs.

Sesay has since developed into an indispensable strike asset for Sierra Leone, frequently leading their bowling attack through ICC T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers.

5. Oscar Duff (Bulgaria): 15 years, 64 days

Bulgarian prospect Oscar Duff entered international cricket against Guernsey in August 2024. Brought into the side to inject youthful energy into their bowling stocks, Duff handled his debut with maturity, setting a foundations-first trajectory for his European cricket career.

Aside from entering the record books due to his age, he has yet to make a serious impact on the field with three runs scored in seven games and two wickets at an average of 60.5.

6. Raymond Coker (Sierra Leone): 15 years, 73 days

Raymond Coker earned his cap against Tanzania in December 2022 during the ACA Africa T20 Cup.

Introduced as a spin option to exploit slow tracks, Coker’s developmental progress alongside teammate George Sesay represents a significant youth-investment push by Sierra Leone Cricket.

He has gone on to play 44 matches for his country and has a high score of 53 with 33 wickets at an average of 22.90.

7. Aleksa Lazic (Serbia): 15 years, 73 days

Serbian all-rounder Aleksa Lazic debuted against Slovenia in June 2025. Lazic was selected to reinforce an evolving Serbian side focused on long-term regional development in Eastern Europe, giving him immediate exposure to competitive tournament play.

Lazic has played six T20Is in total but has yet to make a genuine impact – he is yet to take a wicket and has a highest score of 2*.

8. Alusine Turay (Sierra Leone): 15 years, 74 days

Just a day older than Coker at debut, Alusine Turay debuted against Cameroon in late 2022. Turay has converted his early introduction into solid top-order experience, successfully anchoring numerous qualification matches for his national side.

Now with almost 30 T20Is to his credit, he boasts a highest score of 78 not out.

9. Suhail Vayani (Malawi): 15 years, 89 days

Malawi’s spin bowling prodigy Suhail Vayani debuted against Eswatini in May 2023. He made an immediate splash with disciplined line and length.

Vayani has quickly built a robust international resume, accumulating over 40 T20I cricket wickets at a highly efficient economy rate to become a core member of Malawi’s senior unit.

Read next: Anatomy of a prodigy – Decoding Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s strike rates per phase of the innings

The post Cradle to the crease – the 9 youngest men’s T20I debutants appeared first on Cricket365.



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