Timor-Leste creates history to field first father-son duo in international cricket
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Timor-Leste creates history to field first father-son duo in international cricket")
Timor-Leste creates history to field first father-son duo in international cricket Photograph: (Others)
Interestingly, Yahya and Suhail are not the first parent-child pair to feature together in an international match. Earlier this year, the Swiss women’s team fielded a mother-daughter duo, Metty Fernandes and Naina Metty Saju, who played six T20 internationals together.
Cricket saw a heartwarming moment this week when Timor-Leste’s Suhail Sattar and his 17-year-old son, Yahya Suhail, became the first father and son duo to play together in an international match. The historic moment came on November 6 during Timor-Leste’s debut international game against hosts Indonesia in Bali. To make it even more special, the two actually batted together in the middle, marking a beautiful start to the team’s cricket journey.
Suhail Sattar, 50, has been one of the driving forces behind the rise of cricket in Timor-Leste. Playing alongside his teenage son, Yahya, was not just a proud moment for their family but also for the entire nation, as it made its first steps in world cricket. Although Timor-Leste lost their early matches, the father-son story added a touching and inspiring chapter to the game.
Interestingly, Yahya and Suhail are not the first parent-child pair to feature together in an international match. Earlier this year, the Swiss women’s team fielded a mother-daughter duo, Metty Fernandes and Naina Metty Saju, who played six T20 internationals together. That made them the first female pair to do so in international cricket.
Cricket has seen similar stories in domestic competitions, too. The famous West Indian cricketer Shivnarine Chanderpaul and his son Tagenarine played 11 first-class matches together for Guyana. In one of those games, played at Providence Stadium in March 2014, the senior Chanderpaul even captained his son.
More recently, Afghanistan’s veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi faced his own son, Hassan Eisakhil, in the final of the 2025 Shpageeza Cricket League, another proud family moment for cricket fans.
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Timor-Leste, however, has had a tough start to its international cricket journey. They have faced three heavy defeats, all by ten wickets. Despite that, the team’s debut series will always be remembered for the rare and emotional moment of a father and son sharing the field together, a reminder that cricket is not just about runs and wickets, but also about family, dreams, and history.
