Edward Fleming's 3 for 13 Sealed It — Portugal Beat Spain by 57 Runs to Win the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier C 2026

Edward Fleming's 3 for 13 Sealed It — Portugal Beat Spain by 57 Runs to Win the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier C 2026

Portugal beat Spain by 57 runs in the Final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier C 2026 at the Kerava National Cricket Ground in Finland. Batting first, Portugal posted 160 for 6 from their 20 overs. Spain were then bowled out for 103 in 17.1 overs, with Edward Fleming claiming the Player of the Match award for his devastating 3 for 13.

This was a Final that Portugal controlled from start to finish. Their bowlers were disciplined, their fielding was sharp, and when Spain needed a big partnership to stay in the game, Fleming and Sirajullah Khadim dismantled the middle order with clinical precision.

What Is T20 Cricket? A Quick Guide for New Fans

T20 cricket gives each team 20 overs — that is 120 deliveries — to score as many runs as possible. The batting team tries to hit boundaries and run between the wickets to build their total. The bowling team tries to take wickets and restrict scoring.

Once the first team bats, the second team knows exactly how many runs they need. If they score more, they win. If they are bowled out before reaching the target, or if they run out of overs without reaching it, they lose.

This format is designed for fast, high-scoring matches that last around three hours. Every wicket matters, and momentum can shift in a single over.

Portugal's Innings: Christopher De Freitas Held the Frame

Portugal posted 160 for 6 from their 20 overs at a run rate of 8.00 per over. On a qualifier pitch in Finland, that is a strong total — one that required discipline from the top and acceleration from the middle.

Christopher De Freitas was the anchor. He made 39 from 36 balls, hitting 2 fours and 1 six, and was involved in two of Portugal's most important partnerships. He added 48 from 31 balls with Dhavalkumar Norotam at the top, and then 38 from 37 balls with Moises Henriques as the innings settled after the powerplay.

The powerplay delivered 56 runs from the first 6 overs — an excellent start that put pressure on Spain's bowlers from the very first ball.

Norotam fell for 23 from 14 balls at a strike rate of 164, caught at midwicket off Yasir Ali. Henriques, the captain, made 18 before being caught at the end of his own swing off Yasir Ali again. De Freitas followed for 39 — caught at deep midwicket off Lorne Burns — leaving Portugal at 96 for 3 in the 13th over.

Craig Cachopa steadied things with 25 from 21 balls, including a six. Carlos Nunes then played a cameo of 15 from 9 balls. But the innings was lifted at the death by Jeremy Martins, who was unbeaten on 18 from just 8 balls — hitting a four and a six — to push the total past 160.

For Spain, Yasir Ali was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 24 from 4 overs at an economy of 6.00. Lorne Burns also took 2 wickets but went at 7.25 per over. The rest of the bowling was expensive — Mohammad Atif conceded 39 from 4 overs without a wicket, and Sebastian Hughes-Pinan went for 10 an over.

Spain's Chase: Fleming Broke the Backbone

Spain needed 161 from 20 overs — 8.05 per over from the first ball. That is a tough ask in any T20 match, but it was not impossible. They had the batting lineup to make a game of it, and their powerplay of 40 runs from 6 overs suggested they were competitive early.

But the wickets kept falling at the wrong moments.

Mohammad Ihsan was gone on the very first ball for 0 — caught behind off Sebastian de Oliveira. Gurvinder Bajwa hit a six but made only 6 before being caught off Jeremy Martins. Spain were 8 for 2 after less than 2 overs.

Mohammad Kamran steadied briefly with 19 from 15 balls before de Oliveira had him caught for a second wicket. Yasir Ali and Daniel Doyle Calle then put on the best partnership of Spain's innings — 39 runs from 36 balls — and gave their side a fighting chance. At 71 for 3 in the 11th over, with 9 wickets still in hand in theory, Spain were not dead.

Then Edward Fleming arrived.

Fleming's 4 overs cost just 13 runs and took 3 wickets. He removed Daniel Doyle Calle for 29 — the top score — caught by Jeremy Martins. He removed Hamza Saleem Dar for 8, also caught by Martins. And he removed Charlie Rumistrzewicz for 1, caught by Cachopa. Three wickets that ended any realistic hope Spain had of chasing the total.

Sirajullah Khadim was equally miserly, taking 2 for 19 from 4 overs at an economy of 4.80, removing Yasir Ali and Christian Munoz Mills.

Spain lost their last 7 wickets for 32 runs in 6.3 overs. They were bowled out for 103 in 17.1 overs — 57 runs short of the target.

The Passage of Play That Decided the Match

Overs 11 to 15: Spain were 71 for 3 and Yasir Ali had just gone for 27. The game was still alive but Portugal needed to strike.

Fleming bowled Doyle Calle in his first over back. Khadim removed Munoz Mills. Fleming had Rumistrzewicz caught. In the space of 25 deliveries, Spain went from 71 for 3 to 96 for 8. The last two wickets were merely a formality.

Full Scorecard

Portugal 160 for 6 (20 overs)

Extras: 10 | Total: 160/6 (20 overs, RR: 8.00)

Fall of Wickets: 48-1 (Norotam, 5.1), 86-2 (Henriques, 11.2), 96-3 (De Freitas, 12.4), 121-4 (Shekleton, 16.3), 129-5 (Cachopa, 17.4), 160-6 (Nunes, 20.0)

Spain 103 all out (17.1 overs)

Extras: 3 | Total: 103 all out (17.1 overs, RR: 6.01)

Fall of Wickets: 0-1 (Ihsan, 0.1), 8-2 (Bajwa, 1.4), 32-3 (Kamran, 4.3), 71-4 (Yasir Ali, 10.3), 83-5 (Hamza Dar, 12.2), 93-6 (Munoz Mills, 14.3), 95-7 (Doyle Calle, 15.1), 96-8 (Rumistrzewicz, 15.5), 101-9 (Atif, 16.4), 103-10 (Burns, 17.1)

Player Ratings

Edward Fleming (PORT) — 10/10. 3 for 13 from 4 overs at an economy of 3.20 in a T20 Final is a match-winning performance. He removed Spain's top scorer and two other middle-order batters to end the contest as a contest. Player of the Match, and deservedly so.

Christopher De Freitas (PORT) — 8/10. 39 from 36 balls was the anchor innings Portugal needed. He batted through the middle overs when wickets were falling around him and gave the death batters the platform to finish hard.

Jeremy Martins (PORT) — 8/10. 18 not out from 8 balls at the death pushed Portugal from 142 to 160 — a difference that proved decisive. He then took 2 for 20 with the ball. A complete performance from the allrounder.

Sirajullah Khadim (PORT) — 8/10. 2 for 19 from 4 overs at 4.80 economy. He took the crucial wicket of Yasir Ali and broke the most dangerous partnership in Spain's innings.

Daniel Doyle Calle (ESP) — 7/10. 29 from 28 balls was Spain's top score and the only batter who looked capable of building a match-winning partnership. His dismissal by Fleming at over 15 was the moment Spain's chase ended.

What This Result Means

Portugal's victory in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier C 2026 secures their progression in the ICC's pathway toward the next T20 World Cup. For a nation still building its cricket infrastructure, winning a qualifier Final against a competitive Spain side is a significant step.

Spain will be disappointed — they had the firepower to challenge Portugal's total but lost too many wickets in the powerplay and never recovered the momentum needed in the middle overs.

For European cricket, a Portugal vs Spain Final is exactly the kind of fixture the game needs to grow across the continent.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier?

It is a regional qualifying competition organised by the ICC to determine which European nations progress toward the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Teams compete in sub-regional groups, with the top finishers advancing to the next stage of global qualifying. The 2026 edition of Sub Regional Europe Qualifier C was held at the

Kerava National Cricket Ground in Finland.

Who won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier C 2026?

Portugal won the tournament, beating Spain by 57 runs in the Final. Portugal posted 160 for 6 batting first, then bowled Spain out for 103 in 17.1 overs.

Who was Player of the Match in the Portugal vs Spain Final?

Edward Fleming of Portugal was awarded Player of the Match for his bowling figures of 3 for 13 from 4 overs at an economy of 3.20. He took the wickets of Daniel Doyle Calle, Hamza Saleem Dar, and Charlie Rumistrzewicz in the middle overs to end Spain's chase.

What does bowling economy mean in cricket?

Economy rate measures how many runs a bowler concedes per over on average. An economy of 3.20 — as Edward Fleming recorded — means he gave away just 3.2 runs per 6 balls bowled. In T20 cricket, where the par economy is around 8-9 runs per over, an economy of 3.20 in a Final is outstanding.

Where can I follow more cricket from European qualifying tournaments?

Cricket Daily covers ICC qualifying tournaments, match reports, scorecards, and news from associate and European cricket throughout the year. Follow the full ICC Men's T20 World Cup qualifying pathway on Cricket Daily.

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