Father-Son duo create history playing together in international cricket

Timor-Leste’s Suhail Sattar and his son Yahya Suhail created history by becoming the first-ever father-son duo to play together in an international cricket match. The feat took place during Timor-Leste’s debut international fixture against hosts Indonesia in Bali on November 6, 2025. However, the Southeast Asian nation had a tough start to its international cricket career.

Timor-Leste, one of cricket’s newest entrants on the international level, participated in the Indonesia Tri-nation T20I Series alongside Indonesia and Myanmar. The team’s debut was more special with 50-year-old Suhail Sattar walking out to bat with his 17-year-old son Yahya, making history for both their family and their nation.

The father-son duo’s moment came during Timor-Leste’s first-ever international T20I match. Sattar managed to score a 15-ball 14, while Yahya showcased a hit of a six off the only ball he faced before being dismissed. Despite their efforts, Timor-Leste could score only 61 runs and eventually succumbed to a 10-wicket defeat against Indonesia.

In their following matches, the team continued to struggle. Against Myanmar, Timor-Leste were bowled out for just 32 runs, with Sattar dismissed for a duck and Yahya contributing two runs. Despite the tough start to international cricket, the father-son pair grabbed headlines. 

While Suhail and Yahya’s feat is a first in men’s international cricket, they are not the first parent-child pair to share the field. Earlier this year, Switzerland’s women’s team featured a mother-daughter duo, Metty Fernandes and Naina Metty Saju, who played six T20Is together.

West Indies legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul famously played 11 First-Class matches alongside his son Tagenarine for Guyana, even captaining him in one. More recently, Afghanistan’s veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi faced off against his son Hassan Eisakhil in the 2025 Shpageeza Cricket League final. Nabi has often spoken about his dream of playing international cricket alongside his son.