We have seen plenty of cricketers represent more than one country. Most of these instances are the resultant of the lack of opportunities for certain players in that respective country. Sometimes, a few players look at this chance to represent another country as a step up in their careers. In this article, we take a look at a strong XI comprising players who have represented two nations in international cricket.
Also, with the advent of T20 cricket, it has become easier for cricketers to switch countries. The chances are extensive, and getting to pursue their passion remains a priority for these individuals.
Openers: Ed Joyce and Luke Ronchi (WK)
It is a common occurrence of players switching between England and Ireland as their home nation. The rules allow that, and we have seen players taking the benefit of this. Ed Joyce is one cricketer who did that. After he represented England for a while, he made the switch to England. The player played for England in both ODI’s and T20I’s before turning to Ireland. In between this, there was a long gap in the player’s career.
Luke Ronchi will keep wickets and open the batting for this strong XI. Once an Aussie cricketer, Ronchi then played for New Zealand. He is still in the scene and very active in the game. In the second stint of his international career, he did extremely well as a Black Cap.
Middle-Order: I.A.K Pataudi, Eoin Morgan (C), Mark Chapman and Kepler Wessels
This middle-order is quite strong to play across formats. I.A.K Pataudi was a red-ball player and represented both India and England in three games each. He has a terrific record in FC Cricket.
Eoin Morgan captains this team. It is an obvious choice as the Englishman who once played for Ireland is a proven customer. Mark Chapman played quite a lot for Hong Kong before turning to represent New Zealand. He is firmly in the team’s plans as he recently played in the T20I series against Australia.
Kepler Wessels was a good batsman who could also bowl a bit. While he started his career in Australia, he later made the move to South Africa. Kepler also has a few coaching credits to his name.
All-Rounders: Roelof van der Merwe
Roelof van der Merwe will render balance to this strong XI. Having started his career as a South African, he then made the switch to the Netherlands in search of more opportunities. He is a left-arm spinner who can be destructive with the bat. The player has also been part of IPL in the past.
Bowlers: Rusty Theron, Boyd Rankin, Hayden Walsh and Dirk Nannes
There are quite a few cricketers, who are moving to the United States to pursue cricket as a career. Rusty Theron is one such player. He is a pacer who can also bat a bit. Theron was part of the South African set up in the past and has also been part of IPL.
Boyd Rankin played for Ireland before donning the three lions jersey. However, he did not find success in the English scene. Hayden Walsh played for the USA before impressing in CPL to earn a place in the West Indian squad. He is a leggie and has a bright future ahead of him.
Dirk Nannes is a well-known cricketer. The left-arm quick played for both Australia and Netherlands. At one point, Nannes was one of the best T20 pacers in the game.
