Three From Three: Portugal Brush Aside Greece to Stay Unbeaten in Qualifier C

Three From Three: Portugal Brush Aside Greece to Stay Unbeaten in Qualifier C

By Cricket Daily

Portugal are flying. A clinical seven-wicket win over Greece in Kerava made it three wins from three at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier C, and with the pre-tournament favourites Germany already beaten along the way, the pre-tournament dark horses now look very much like the team to beat.

What made this win even more impressive is that Portugal did it without their captain and marquee man, Moises Henriques, who sat out. In his absence, Carlos Nunes led the side, and a well-drilled bowling display followed by a controlled chase showed just how much strength in depth this squad has.

De Oliveira and Martins strangle Greece

Bowling first, Portugal never let Greece settle and dismissed them for 121 in 19.3 overs. The new-ball pair set the tone, and the spinners and seamers kept the pressure on from both ends throughout.

Sebastian de Oliveira was the standout with excellent figures of 4 for 23, striking early and returning to clean up the tail, while Jeremy Martins was outstanding with 3 for 11 from his 3.3 overs. Left-arm bowler Siraj Ullah Khadem chipped in with 2 for 22.

Greece did have their moments. Sajid Khan Afridi provided a thrilling counter-attack with 36 from just 13 balls, and captain Amarpreet Mehmi anchored the innings with a battling 39. But once Mehmi fell with the score at 107 for 5, the innings fell apart, with Greece losing their last five wickets for just 14 runs. A total of 121 was never going to be enough against an in-form Portugal.

De Freitas and Shekleton cruise the chase

The reply was handled with real authority. Christopher De Freitas got the chase off to a flying start with a punchy 37 from 24 balls, and every one of his boundaries cleared the rope, five sixes in all, taking the game away from Greece early.

From there, wicketkeeper Cameron Shekleton took over and finished the job in style. He was unbeaten on 52 from 34 balls, laced with seven fours, guiding Portugal home to 124 for 3 with a full four overs to spare. It was a mature, controlled innings from a batter who is quietly having an excellent tournament, and it capped a

What it means

This is close to the perfect start for Portugal. Three games, three wins, and crucially a victory already banked over Germany, the side most had tipped to win the group. In our tournament preview we backed Portugal as a genuine challenger, and they have gone one better, seizing control of Group B and building a healthy net run rate cushion in the process.

The stakes remain simple and severe. Only the overall winner of Qualifier C advances to the Europe Regional Final and stays on the road to the 2028 T20 World Cup. Portugal are not there yet, but an unbeaten record, a settled bowling attack, and a batting line-up deep enough to win comfortably without their captain make them the form team of the tournament. On this evidence, they will take some stopping.

Keep it locked to Cricket Daily for results, points tables, and full coverage of the road to the 2028 T20 World Cup.

Full scorecard

Greece 121 all out (19.3 overs)

Bowling: Sebastian de Oliveira 4-1-23-4, Upen Shantu 4-0-35-0, Siraj Ullah Khadem 3-0-22-2, Jeremy Martins 3.3-0-11-3, Edward Fleming 4-0-26-0, Christopher De Freitas 1-0-4-0.

Portugal 124-3 (16 overs)

Did not bat: Jeremy Martins, Carlos Nunes (c), Sebastian de Oliveira, Edward Fleming, Siraj Ullah Khadem, Upen Shantu.

Bowling: Amarpreet Mehmi 2-0-13-1, Emanuel 3-0-16-1, Dimitrios Triantafillithis 1-0-24-0, Sinan Khan 4-0-33-1, Blake Faunce 3-0-14-0, Sajid Khan Afridi 3-0-23-0.

Result: Portugal won by 7 wickets. Player of the Match: Sebastian de Oliveira (4-23).

Frequently asked questions

Who won the Greece vs Portugal match in Qualifier C?

Portugal, who beat Greece by 7 wickets in Kerava to make it three wins from three.

Who starred for Portugal?

Sebastian de Oliveira was named Player of the Match for his 4 for 23, with Cameron Shekleton's unbeaten 52 and Jeremy Martins' 3 for 11 also standing out.

What were the scores?

Greece were bowled out for 121, and Portugal chased it down at 124 for 3 with four overs to spare.

Is Portugal now the favourite to win Qualifier C?

They are the form team, unbeaten at 3-0 and having already beaten Germany, though only the tournament winner advances to the next stage.

Did Portugal play without their captain?

Yes. Moises Henriques sat out this match, with Carlos Nunes captaining, and Portugal still won comfortably.

📋 View ICC MENS T20 WORLD CUP SUB REGIONAL EUROPE QUALIFIER C 2026 Complete Guide

📋 View ICC MENS T20 WORLD CUP SUB REGIONAL EUROPE QUALIFIER C 2026 Matches