Italy's Wayne Madsen stars in County Championship, could we see him at the 2026 T20 World Cup?
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Image Courtesy: @WayneMadsen77/ Instagram
At 41 years old, Wayne Madsen is proving that age is just a number. The Derbyshire stalwart is producing a masterclass against Kent in the County Championship Division Two, he remains unbeaten after compiling a sublime unbeaten 147 and will resume Day 2 of the final match of the season in a hope to add more to his tally.
Madsen first caught the eye in 2013 during Derbyshire’s brief spell in Division One. While the team struggled, he flourished, racking up over 1,200 runs and becoming the first player that season to surpass 1,000 runs. He was named the Championship Cricketer of the Year by the Cricket Writers’ Club that year. Despite his consistent form and leadership, England never came calling.
However, Madsen found home through his ancestral lineage in Italy and began his international career at 39. He went on to play in the 2024 T20 World Cup European qualifiers. Though Italy narrowly missed out on qualification, Madsen's presence was a significant boost.
In 2022, aged 38, he topped the Championship run charts with 1,273 runs. His adaptability in limited-overs cricket also brought opportunities in the PSL, T10, and The Hundred, where he helped Manchester Originals reach the 2022 final.
Cricket was not the only sport Madsen excelled in. Born in Durban, South Africa, Madsen represented the rainbow nation in hockey. He represented South Africa at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia and the Hockey World Cup held in Germany in the same year.
While Italy didn't make it in the previous T20 World Cup, they scripted their own fairytale by qualifying for the T20 World Cup 2026, through the European Qualifiers held earlier this year. Although Madsen last represented Italy in 2023, with the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka approaching, Madsen, now 41, could potentially open doors for selection through his form in List A games and County matches.
