Former Proteas cricketer Jon-Jon Smuts is in contention to be named in Italy’s squad for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Smuts played six ODIs and 13 T20Is for South Africa from 2017 to 2021.
What JJ Smuts said about Italy
“I am available for selection for Italy. I have qualified for Italy through my wife. I attended a camp at the end of November in Dubai with the Italian team,” Smuts told Club Cricket SA.
“If I were to get selected for Italy, it would be a great honour and something that I would cherish forever.”
Smuts is currently contracted by the Dolphins in division one of South African domestic cricket. He has played for Durban’s Super Giants and the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 – and has Caribbean Premier League experience with the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
Italy have previously capped dual internationals, including former England seamer Jade Dernbach and former Australian batsman Joe Burns.
This is the first time Italy have qualified for the T20 World Cup. They have been pooled with England, West Indies, Bangladesh and Nepal for the 2026 tournament – and will be captained by former Dolphins batsman Wayne Madsen.
Earlier this year, former New Zealand captain Ross Taylor became a dual international by debuting for Samoa in T20I cricket.
New Zealand and Australia’s Luke Ronchi, Netherlands and Australia’s Dirk Nannes, South Africa and United States of America’s Rusty Theron, Ireland and England’s Eoin Morgan – and New Zealand and United States of America’s Corey Anderson – are among several other players capped by two countries in T20I cricket.