Cricket World Cup 2026: Expats and Immigrants Who Shone on the Global Stage

The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup has ended with defending champions India winning the tournament for a record third time. During the month-long event, the best teams in the world battled for the trophy, like always, but this time, the tournament had an ‘Ex’ factor like never before. It revolved around players with immigrant backgrounds or cross-border cricketing journeys who delivered some of the most memorable performances.

From England’s multicultural lineup to stars representing emerging cricketing nations, these players combined skill with compelling personal stories. Yet beyond their journeys, what truly defined their presence in the tournament was performance — crucial wickets, match-winning spells, and explosive batting displays that shaped the World Cup.

England’s expat influence at full strength

England’s squad has long reflected the multicultural nature of the country’s cricket structure, and several players with overseas roots played key roles in the team’s campaign.

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid continues to shine with his performances, which have made him England’s most dependable white-ball bowler. The Bradford-born spinner, whose family hails from Pakistan, finished the tournament with 13 wickets in eight matches, maintaining an impressive average of 19.23 and a strike rate of 14.15.

One of Rashid’s most decisive contributions came in England’s crucial victory against Sri Lanka, where his spell of 2 for 13 in 3.4 overs effectively broke the opposition’s momentum and set up an important win.

Young leg-spinning all-rounder Rehan Ahmed also delivered one of the most dramatic moments of England’s campaign. In a tense encounter with eventual finalists New Zealand, Ahmed produced a brilliant all-round performance — taking 2 for 28 with the ball and scoring 19 not out from just seven deliveries. The performance proved decisive for England, securing their place in the semi-finals, while it also kept Pakistan’s hopes alive in the race for the knockout stage.

England’s bowling attack also benefited from the pace of Jofra Archer, who has Caribbean roots through his Barbadian upbringing before qualifying for England. Archer finished with 11 wickets in eight matches, maintaining an average of 26 and a strike rate of 16.36, once again proving his ability to strike at crucial moments.

England’s multicultural lineup extended to their all-round department as well. Sam Curran, though born in England, represents another cross-border cricketing story. His father, the late Kevin Curran, was a Zimbabwean international cricketer, and his brother, Tom Curran, has also represented England. If you think that Zimbabwean Ben Curran is also part of the Curran legacy, then you aren’t wrong, as he belongs to the same family, the cricketing roots of which were born in Zimbabwe and are now part of the English culture.

Caribbean-born talent lights up England’s batting

While England’s bowlers made headlines, one of the most spectacular batting displays of the tournament came from Barbados-born all-rounder Jacob Bethell. He produced a sensational 48-ball 105 against India in the semi-final, and although it didn’t win England the match, it became one of the standout innings of the World Cup.

His fearless strokeplay dismantled one of the tournament’s strongest bowling attacks and demonstrated his immense potential on the global stage. Across eight matches, Bethell accumulated 280 runs at a strike rate of 152.17, emerging as one of England’s most explosive batting options.

New Zealand’s South African-born powerhouse

New Zealand’s dynamic middle-order batter Glenn Phillips also left a significant mark on the tournament. Born in East London in South Africa before moving to New Zealand, Phillips has become a key figure in the Black Caps’ white-ball setup.

In the World Cup, Phillips scored 181 runs in six innings across nine matches, finishing unbeaten several times and maintaining a strike rate of 157.39. His ability to accelerate the scoring in the middle and death overs often shifted momentum in New Zealand’s favor.

Ravindra’s all-round brilliance

Another New Zealand star with immigrant roots, Rachin Ravindra, delivered one of the most impressive all-round campaigns of the tournament. Born in Wellington to Indian parents, Ravindra showcased his bowling prowess by claiming 12 wickets in nine matches, including a superb 4 for 27, his best performance of the competition.

His average of 12.41 and strike rate of 9.5 highlighted his effectiveness, particularly during a match-winning spell against Sri Lanka, where his wickets turned the game decisively in New Zealand’s favor.

Sikandar Raza made Zimbabwe and Pakistan proud

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza once again demonstrated why he is regarded as one of the most impactful all-rounders in international T20 cricket. Born in Pakistan and later moving to Zimbabwe, Raza delivered a remarkable performance as both an all-rounder and a captain.

Across six matches, he scored 206 runs at an average of 51.5, maintaining a blistering strike rate of 164.80. His aggressive approach consistently placed opposition bowlers under pressure and played a key role in Zimbabwe’s competitiveness during the tournament. They couldn’t do much in the Super Eight stage, but defeating Australia and Sri Lanka was easily something he and his teammates would cherish for a long time.

Associate nations powered by migrant stars

If the influence of immigrant players was visible among established teams, it was even more pronounced among Associate nations. The United States found an unlikely bowling hero in South African-born seamer Shadley van Schalkwyk, who produced one of the most remarkable bowling runs of the competition.

In just four matches, he claimed 13 wickets, including stunning four-wicket hauls against India and Pakistan. His extraordinary average of 7.76 and strike rate of 6.84 made him one of the most effective bowlers in the entire tournament.

Individual brilliance from emerging teams

Several other migrant cricketers representing emerging nations also produced memorable performances. United Arab Emirates pacer Junaid Siddique delivered one of the tournament’s standout spells during the group stage. The Multan-born bowler's figures of 5 for 35 against Canada ranked among the best bowling performances of the competition, second only to Romario Shepherd’s 5 for 20 against Scotland.

India-born spinner Harmeet Singh, representing the United States, also produced a match-winning spell of 4 for 21 against the Netherlands, highlighting the strength of immigrant talent within the American squad.

Canada’s Pakistan-born all-rounder Saad Bin Zafar delivered a crucial bowling performance as well, claiming 3 for 14 against the UAE in an important group-stage victory.

For the United States, Pakistan-born batter Shayan Jahangir provided one of the tournament’s more emotional moments when he scored 49 runs against Pakistan, the country of his birth. His innings showcased both composure and determination against a formidable bowling attack.

Cricket’s global identity is on full display

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 offered countless thrilling moments, but it also reinforced a deeper truth about the sport: cricket’s future is global, shaped by players whose journeys often span continents.

And as performances from stars like Jacob Bethell, Adil Rashid, Rachin Ravindra, Sikandar Raza, and Shadley van Schalkwyk demonstrated, some of the most influential players in the tournament were those whose cricketing journeys crossed borders before reaching the World Cup stage.