Moises Henriques led from the front for Portugal, smashing a century against the Czech Republic to help them amass 211 runs batting first.
Henriques smashed 111 runs off just 51 deliveries, batting at number three, with 12 fours and seven sixes. He stitched a 107-run partnership for the second wicket with Christopher De Freitas (30) in just 52 balls, while Carlos Nunes provided the finishing kick with an unbeaten 31 off 19 balls to propel the team’s score past the 200-run mark.
Henriques, who played 44 international matches for Australia, has become the leading run-scorer of the tournament with this terrific ton. He has scored 178 runs in three innings at an average of 89, with a century and a half-century to his name.
Coming back to the game, Czech Republic could only muster 24 runs for the loss of five wickets in 8.5 overs before rain intervened. Play never resumed, and Portugal were declared the winners by 91 runs by the DLS method.
Portugal qualify for final of tournament, to face Spain
With this win, Portugal have sealed top spot in Group B of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Europe Qualifier C and have qualified for the final of the tournament as well. They will face Spain in the summit clash on Friday, August 21. It won’t be easy for Portugal to go past Spain, who are on a 24-match world-record winning streak in international cricket.
The winner of the competition will join Scotland, Jersey and Denmark in the European regional final. The top two teams from this competition will progress to the global qualifiers for the T20 World Cup 2028.
Even though there is a long way to go for T20 World Cup qualification, Henriques, while speaking to Wisden’s The Scoop last week, dismissed the thought of being elevated to Cristiano Ronaldo’s tier if he helps the Portugal cricket team qualify for the mega event in 2028.
“I'm not sure one T20 World Cup is the same as six FIFA World Cups,” the former Australia international said. “I'm not sure I'm going to be getting an airport in Madeira like Cristiano does, but if I get a bus stop, I'll be happy.”
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