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As the 2024 IPL is heading towards its climax over the next fortnight, all eyes have slowly begun turning to the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA, starting June 1. The mega event will be played with a record 20 participating teams, an increase of four from the previous edition in 2022. It will also be the first ICC tournament played in the United States.
While several teams have announced their squads, others are still figuring out their best 15 for the World Cup.
As co-hosts, the USA will play the opener against Canada in Texas on June 1 and the game will feature former New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson in the USA side.
It will be another unique instance of a player playing for a second nation in the T20 World Cup, with the all-rounder previously part of the New Zealand squad in the 2014 and 2016 editions.
Other cricketers excluding Anderson have played for two countries in the past T20 World Cups and let us take a look at who they were.
#1 Dirk Nannes - Netherlands & Australia
Left-arm pacer Dirk Nannes had brief T20I stints with Australia and the Netherlands, playing for both nations in back-to-back T20 World Cups in 2009 and 2010. The 47-year-old was part of the Netherlands squad for the 2009 edition and played two games against England and Pakistan.
While the side stunned England in a last-ball thriller, they suffered a massive defeat against Pakistan to bow out of the tournament., with Nannes combining for 1/56 in eight overs.
The Victorian-born pacer played for Australia in the following T20 World Cup in the West Indies in 2010. He enjoyed tremendous success, leading the tournament with 14 wickets in seven games to help the Aussies reach the final.
However, Nannes' lone wicketless game of the competition proved costly as Australia suffered a seven-wicket loss to arch-rivals England in the summit clash.
Nevertheless, the wily pacer boasts impressive overall T20 bowling numbers, with 15 wickets at an average of under 16 in nine outings.
#2 Roelof van der Merwe - South Africa & Netherlands
Left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe has played multiple T20 World Cups for South Africa and the Netherlands in his illustrious career.
The fiery 39-year-old was an integral member of the Proteas setup late 2000s and formed a formidable white-ball partnership in the spin department with Johan Botha.
Van der Merwe played for South Africa in the 2009 and 2010 T20 World Cups, picking up a combined 11 wickets in nine games. He has since played for the Dutch side in three T20 World Cups in 2016, 2021, and 2022, grabbing five wickets in nine innings.
Van der Merwe's defining moment came in the 2022 edition when his sensational catch off David Miller helped knock his former team - South Africa out of the tournament.
#3 David Wiese - South Africa & Namibia
Big-hitting medium-pace all-rounder David Wiese had a graph similar to Roelof van der Merwe, playing for South Africa before moving to Namibia.
The 38-year-old was part of the Proteas side in the 2016 T20 World Cup and played three games for them. Wiese picked up the lone wicket in the competition and scored a useful 28 against the West Indies.
However, his all-round performances have been crucial for Namibia in the 2021 and 2022 T20 World Cups.
Wiese's Player of the Match performance with 66* and 1/32 against the Netherlands in the 2021 edition helped Nambia advance to the main stages. He also produced impressive stints with bat and ball in the remainder of the tournament, including a 31-ball 43* against Pakistan.
Wiese also stood out for Namibia in the 2022 edition, with a 2/16 showing against Sri Lanka and 55* against U.A.E.
Overall, the South African-born all-rounder has scored 321 runs and picked up 10 wickets in 14 T20 World Cup matches.
#4 Mark Chapman - Hong Kong & New Zealand
The talented middle-order batter Mark Chapman has become a household name in New Zealand's T20 side. Yet, he started his career with Hong Kong and played for them in the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups.
In his six games for them, Chapman had a couple of noteworthy performances, including 38 against Sri Lanka in 2014 and 40 against Scotland in 2016. The southpaw was subsequently part of the Kiwi squad in the 2021 and 2022 editions but played only the lone outing against Australia in 2022.
Now as a vital cog in the New Zealand middle order, Chapman will play a massive role in the upcoming World Cup if they are to break through and win their elusive title.
