7 cricketers who have played for most T20 teams

Cricket has always been an ever growing sport and T20 cricket appears to be its fastest developing format. Ever since its inception, the T20 revolution has taken the cricketing world by storm and has witnessed unprecedented growth with every passing year.With this format of the game spreading far and wide, there has been a rise in the number of cricketers who are regarded as T20 specialists. Their demand has gone up a few more notches, considering the rate at which domestic T20 tournaments are introduced all over the world.While some of these specialists have still kept themselves restricted to very few teams, many of the others have been riding on many boats.We take a look at 7 popular T20 cricketers who have played for the most T20 teams.

#7 Scott Styris

Scott Styris of Sussex Sharks

Number of teams – 15

Former New Zealand batsman Scott Styris is among the top players to have represented a number of different T20 teams. While his T20 debut came for his national side in 2005, he has played for quite a few domestic T20 sides from all corners.

These include a number of teams from his home country of New Zealand, he has also played in countries like India, England and South Africa. Among the prominent teams Styris has represented are Hobart Hurricanes, Essex, Northern Districts, Titans and Deccan Chargers to name a few.

Scott Styris last played a T20 in the 2014 edition of the Champions League Twenty20 for Northern Districts.

#6 Yasir Arafat

Yasir Arafat of Sussex Sharks

Number of teams – 16

Even though he may not have had an extended run in the Pakistan national team, Yasir Arafat has certainly gained success playing for a number of T20 teams around the cricketing world. Arafat’s T20 debut was in 2006 as part of the Karachi Zebras side in the ABN-AMRO Twenty-20 Cup.

Most of his T20 cricket has been played at home or in England; however, he has also had stints in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand as well. Some of his teams include Perth Scorchers, Otago, Lancashire, Somerset, Dolphins and Canterbury.

Yasir Arafat’s last T20 appearance came in September this year in a local domestic tournament.

#5 Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi of Northamptonshire

Number of teams – 16

Over his career, explosive Pakistani allrounder Shahid Afridi has earned a reputation of being a limited-overs expert. And ever since the arrival of T20 cricket, he has only risen in prominence as he has represented a number of T20 teams all over the cricketing world.

Afridi’s T20 career began for Kent in the Twenty20 Cup in the year 2004. Post that, he was part of known T20 teams like Melbourne Renegades, Kent, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Deccan Chargers and South Australia.

Shahid Afridi most recently played for the Sylhet Super Stars in the 2015 Bangladesh Premier League and has also joined his country’s first major T20 league.

#4 Brad Hodge

Brad Hodge of the Adelaide Strikers

Number of teams – 17

A T20 cricketer par excellence, Brad Hodge has been one of the earliest among known cricketers to have played the format. Back in 2003, he was part of the Leicestershire team in England’s Twenty20 Cup alongside players like Virender Sehwag and scored 97 on his T20 debut against Yorkshire.

Hodge has participated in domestic tournaments all over the world and played for teams such as Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Auckland and Adelaide Strikers among others.

The 40-year old is presently in action at the Big Bash League for Adelaide Strikers. Brad Hodge will soon be seen in the inaugural Pakistan Super League as he has been picked up by one of the franchises.

#3 Tilakaratne Dilshan

Tillakaratne Dilshan of Surrey

Number of teams – 17

Sri Lanka’s veteran batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan is another player who has spread his wings almost all over the T20 cricket globe. Having represented as many as 17 teams from across a number of cricket-playing nations, he is among the most sought-after T20 players in the world.

Dilshan made his T20 debut for a former Sri Lankan domestic team named Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club. From that time onwards, the swashbuckling batsman has played for teams like Delhi Daredevils, Derbyshire, Northern Districts, Sydney Thunder and Guyana Amazon Warriors to name a few.

Tillakaratne Dilshan was last seen in T20 action in the Bangladesh Premier League where he was part of the Chittagong Vikings team.

#2 Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle of Highveld Lions

Number of teams – 17

It has almost become a custom in T20 cricket for Chris Gayle to be part of any new T20 venture that begins anywhere in the world. The destructive West Indies batsman has played in almost all the known T20 tournaments from all over including IPL, BBL, BPL, CPL and Natwest T20 Blast among others.

Gayle’s first ever T20 game was for the PCA Masters XI in a competition named the International 20:20 Club Championship. In an illustrious T20 career so far, the dashing southpaw has represented as many as 17 teams.

The popular ones among them include Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sydney Thunder, Jamaica Tallawahs and Somerset among a host of other teams. And there are more teams ready to be included in Chris Gayle’s list following his association with newer leagues.

#1 Dirk Nannes

Dirk Nannes of Delhi Daredevils

Number of teams – 18

Australian left-arm pacer Dirk Nannes head the list of cricketers who have represented the most number of teams in T20 cricket. Nannes has played international T20 cricket for both Australia and Netherlands.

He began his T20 career playing for Victoria in the KFC Twenty20 tournament back in 2007. Ever since, he has played for several domestic T20 teams in different countries like India, England, Bangladesh and even Zimbabwe, for that matter.

Some of the prominent teams Dirk Nannes has represented include Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, Melbourne Renegades, Otago Volts and Surrey among others. His last T20 game came for Sydney Thunder against Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League early this year.