Beyond the boundary: How Associate nations are reshaping T20 cricket

On a humid evening in Chennai, before roughly 16,000 spectators, Brampton-born Yuvraj Samra, named after the king of six sixes, played an innings that seemed to stretch beyond the boundary rope. Canada were facing New Zealand at the 2026 T20 World Cup. Samra struck 110 from 65 balls, becoming the youngest centurion in the tournament’s history and the first from an Associate nation. The Kiwis prevailed in the end, but the weight of that ton lingered.

 

In Canada, cricket remains blanketed by snow for much of the year. Samra grew up in indoor nets with winters spent honing his bat swing and sharpening decision-making in tight, artificial spaces. Exposure tours to Sri Lanka provided what Ontario could not: Heat and spin. The hundred in Chennai felt crafted rather than conjured. He opened up the off-side in the powerplay, accumulated steadily through the middle overs, then accelerated in the final few.

 

This showcases a wider shift in the sport’s competitive order. T20 flattens hierarchy. Twenty overs reward clarity of role, precision in match-ups and discipline across phases, more than a vast first-class calendar. Associate sides, often without expansive domestic structures, have learned to value efficiency.

 

Italy’s recent strides rest on adaptation. Much of their cricket is played on astroturf, demanding technical adjustment. After a World Cup win over Nepal, captain Harry Manenti noted: 12 of the 15 players hold jobs outside cricket. Crishan Kalugamage, player of the match that day, makes pizzas at home, training around shifts in hospitality. The Mosca brothers—Justin, a physical education teacher, and Anthony, a carpenter— balance professions with opening stands. Preparation is squeezed into spare hours; roles are sharply drawn.

 

The Netherlands have long operated on similar terms. During the pandemic, Paul van Meekeren revealed he was delivering for Uber Eats while cricket around the world stood still. When fixtures returned, so did his pace. Saqib Zulfiqar has combined leg-spin with work in banking at ABN AMRO. For many Associates, professionalism coexists with ordinary employment.

 

Nepal’s climb has been fuelled by strong public backing and clearer tactical thinking. Rohit Paudel has grown into a composed presence in the middle order; Kushal Bhurtel brings early momentum; Dipendra Singh Airee offers flexibility with bat and ball. Facilities remain modest by global standards, yet their T20 execution—pace-off into the pitch, protection of straight boundaries, discipline at the death— is deliberate and drilled.

 

The United Arab Emirates have benefited from the format’s brevity, with Muhammad Waseem’s powerplay hitting translating into franchise visibility. The United States of America’s Saurabh Netravalkar, who was once part of India U19 setup and later worked with Oracle, became a household name after his pace strangled Pakistan in a super over in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

 

Elsewhere, the Papua New Guinea national cricket team lean heavily on homegrown talent, prioritising athleticism in the field and seam bowling. The Uganda national cricket team have advanced through structured regional competition. The Hong Kong national cricket team draw on expatriate experience, assembling tactically astute sides without the cushion of lengthy domestic seasons.

 

If there is a template for what T20 can hasten, it is Afghanistan. A little over a decade ago they were Associates navigating World T20 qualifiers. The format offered exposure and league contracts. Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and later Fazalhaq Farooqi found global demand for their skillsets, creating financial returns that fed back into the domestic game. Afghanistan are now embedded in ICC events. Even after a below-par past year, their presence feels structural, and not symbolic.

 

This World Cup’s competitiveness has also owed something to conditions. Surfaces have offered early seam and later grip, restoring equilibrium between bat and ball. On balanced tracks, planning counts as much as reputation. Bowlers regain relevance and disciplined Associate sides stay in the contest longer.

 

The league economy remains the great catalyst. The Indian Premier League set the commercial benchmark; the PSL, CPL, SA20, ILT20 and Major League Cricket broadened access. A strong World Cup performance can lead directly to a contract; a contract can underwrite preparation and overseas tours. 

 

Ryan ten Doeschate’s journey from Netherlands talisman to coaching roles with Kolkata Knight Riders and India shows how influence now travels beyond the boundary. Samra’s hundred did not rejig the table. New Zealand progressed, as expected. Yet the innings revealed something crucial: In a three-hour format, opportunity can be engineered. For Associate cricket, that opportunity is no longer symbolic. It is there in scorecards, in contracts signed, and in sustained belief.