Photo via Hindustan Times

Moises Henriques and the long road home

At 39 years of age, veteran all-rounder Moises Henriques has extended his sporting journey by turning out internationally for Portugal, the country where he was born on the island of Madeira before his family relocated when he was two years old. After constructing a professional career in Australia spanning two decades and fulfilling his childhood dream of playing Test cricket for the Baggy Greens, Henriques recently reconnected with his ancestral heritage during a visit back to Madeira.

That reconnection paved the way for him to feature in the European qualifiers for the 2028 T20 World Cup, as well as compete for Glasgow Cosmic in ETPL 2026.

Henriques, who notched a century for Portugal in a contest against Czechia, maintains that this chapter represents an extension of his playing days rather than a whole new career or a rejection of his Australian roots. He credits Australia's supportive and accessible sporting infrastructure, along with his parents' pursuit of greater life opportunities, for enabling his rise from humble beginnings.

While acknowledging the special experience of honoring his heritage, he still measures the worth of his batting performances by the difficulty of the contest and the quality of the bowling attack he encounters.