Ronaldo’s fellow Madeira resident now Portugal cricket captain

Cristiano Ronaldo’s wedding guest list probably did not include another famous name from his hometown Funchal in Madeira, where the football icon was born, but for former Australia all-rounder Moises Henriques, who was born in the same place as his famous fellow resident, getting to captain the Portugal national cricket team is possibly as big an honour as any.

While the Portuguese-Australian’s appointment as skipper may not have grabbed as many eyeballs as Ronaldo being named the captain of the football team once did, the fact that both athletes from Madeira were in the news on the same day is quite some coincidence.

The 39-year-old Henriques, who just weeks ago announced his retirement from Australian domestic cricket, will lead Portugal for the men's T20 World Cup Europe Sub-Regional Qualifier C in Finland, where the team will attempt to progress through the qualification pathway for the 2028 T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Henriques represented Australia in four Tests, 16 ODIs and 24 T20Is, earning 44 international caps. His most recent appearance for Australia came in 2021. He also played for several franchises in the India Premier League.

The son of former Portuguese professional footballer, Álvaro, Henriques moved to Australia with his family as a child and went on to enjoy a lengthy domestic career with New South Wales and Sydney Sixers. He announced his retirement from Australian domestic cricket last month but intends to continue playing overseas.

Henriques currently has a contract with Glasgow Cosmic in the inaugural European T20 Premier League and will now turn his attention to Portugal's qualification campaign.

Portugal, ranked 37th in the ICC men's T20I rankings, will face Israel, Germany, Greece and Czechia in Group B of the Europe Sub-Regional Qualifier C between August 14 and 20.

The group winner will meet the winner of Group A in the final on August 21. The overall winner will then advance to the European regional final, where Scotland, Jersey and Denmark await.

The top two teams from the European regional final will progress to the global qualifier, from where teams will compete for places at the 2028 T20 World Cup.

Henriques takes over the captaincy from Carlos Nunes, who remains part of Portugal's 14-member squad.

Portugal have also included several players with experience in higher-level domestic cricket. Former Sussex, Auckland and Wellington wicketkeeper-batter Craig Cachopa is part of the squad, while Cameron Shekleton has represented South Africa A.

Sebastian de Oliveira, who played a List A match for Gauteng alongside current South Africa batter Ryan Rickelton, and Bangladesh-born spinner Siraj Ullah Khadem, who featured on the longlist for this year's Hundred auction, are also in the squad.

It is a long road ahead for Portugal to qualify for the T20 World Cup, but if his hometown hero’s exploits on the world stage are anything to go by, Henriques doesn’t have to look too far for inspiration.