5 cricketers who were born in different countries but are playing for England in World Cup 2019

England is one of those cricketing nations that has always benefitted by the representation of players born in other countries. Out of a total of 736 players who represented the nation thus far, 107 players were born outside of England. Till date, 17 players each from South Africa and India played cricket for England while 14 players from Wales represented the country. Furthermore, there are 10 Australian players who plied their trade for the English team.

South Africans’ represented increased significantly since the debut of Andrew Strauss in 2003. After him, ten other players from the Rainbow Nation were on to play for England. The scenario for the World Cup 2019 is pretty similar. Nearly 33 per cent of the players in this 15-man squad were not born in England. There are representations from players born in different nations and most of them form the backbone of this side.

Here are the players representing England despite being born in a different country:

1. Eoin Morgan

English skipper Eoin Morgan is one of those few cricketers who represented two nations at the highest level. Born in Dublin in Ireland, Morgan first played for his home nation. He played 23 ODIs for Ireland scoring 744 runs at an average of 35.42. The left-hander created a good impression in the minds of the English selectors when he played a tour match for England Lions against South Africa. He had to quit playing for Ireland when he was named in the 15-man squad for the World T20 in 2009.

Morgan, since then, has been a regular feature in the England team. He is the first and only player to represent the side in 200 ODIs. Furthermore, he scored more ODI runs than anyone else who represented the team in the past. Morgan is only the third Irish player to lead the England cricket team.

2. Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes was born on 4 June 1991 in Canterbury, New Zealand. His father, Gerald Stokes, represented New Zealand in international Rugby Leagues as well. At a very young age, Ben shifted to England where his father worked as the head coach of one of the rugby teams. It was in England where Ben Stokes honed his skills and learnt about the game of cricket.

He displayed his immense potential and talent at a very young age. Thus, just at the age of 18, Durham signed him on a two-year contract. Since then, Stokes rose up the ranks slowly and made his presence felt. He made his England debut when he was just 19 years old. However, a few disciplinary issues slowed things down for him and he had to undergo rehabilitation. But now, he remains to be one of the most important members of this side and adds a great balance to the team.

3. Jason Roy

Born in Durban, South Africa, Jason Roy moved to the United Kingdom when he was 10 years old. He has led the England ODI revolution from the front and has been one of the mainstays of this team. Roy made the headlines with his aggressive batting in the T20 Blast in 2014 and was first picked in the T20I side.

England’s disastrous performance in the World Cup 2015 helped his cause. He was exactly the kind of player the team was looking for and thus was drafted in straightaway. Roy has only grown from strength to strength since then and sealed his spot in the side. Although there was a brief hiatus in between, he came back strong and even holds the record of having the highest ever score (180) for England in ODI cricket.

4. Tom Curran

Tom Curran is the son of former Zimbabwe international cricketer Kevin Curran. The bowling all-rounder was born in Cape Town and plays for Surrey in county cricket. This South African-born English cricketer has got the ability to swing the ball a long way and even contributes a decent amount with the bat. As far as the limited-overs side goes, he is a great fit into the team.

The 24-year-old provides his team with a handy bowling option and also adds depth to the batting line-up. Tom has already represented England across all the three formats and appears to be a ray of bright sunshine for the team. He has surely got to potential to become one of the better English all-rounders and is backed up by immense talent.

5. Jofra Archer

Jofra Archer is one of the newest recruits in the England team. Immensely talented, the pacer gained name with his performances in the T20 Leagues around the world. Archer played U19 cricket for the Windies and was all slated to become one of the big things for the Caribbean side. But the cricket structure and the board in the West Indies failed to recognize his talent and he almost became a forgotten name.

It was at this point when his mate Chris Jordan recommended the pacer’s name to county club, Sussex. He instantly made a massive impact and gained global fame playing for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL. Archer is so talented that he forced a change of rules to accommodate him in the England side for the World Cup 2019. He was born in Bridgetown, Barbados to an English father and a Bajan mother.