The North American Cup is underway in Georgetown, featuring teams from the USA, Canada, Bermuda, and the Bahamas. Amidst this competition, a rare feat has grabbed attention — a player waited 17 years to play his second T20 International match. The player is Bahamian all-rounder Ryan Tappin.

A Record-Breaking Comeback

Tappin first played for the Bahamas on 6 February 2008 against Jamaica, where he scored 25 runs and took a wicket. However, after his debut, he did not feature in another T20I match for over 17 years — precisely 17 years and 73 days. His second T20I appearance finally came on 20 April 2025 against the USA during the North American Cup.

Although he managed only 2 runs in his comeback match, Tappin set a remarkable record: the longest gap between two T20 International appearances. The previous record was held by Dwight Wickley, also from the Bahamas, who returned after 16 years and 304 days.

At the time of his debut, Tappin was 22 years and 36 days old. Now, he is 39 years and 115 days old, making his comeback even more remarkable.

Top 5 Longest Gaps Between T20I Matches

• Ryan Tappin (Bahamas) – 17 years, 73 days
• Dwight Wickley (Bahamas) – 16 years, 304 days
• Jalon Linton (Cayman Islands) – 15 years, 262 days
• Narendra Ekanayake (Bahamas) – 14 years, 316 days
• Asif Khan (Lahore Eagles/UAE) – 14 years, 316 days

Why Such Long Gaps?

The lack of consistent T20 tournaments like the Stanford T20 and the late awarding of T20I status to countries like the Bahamas and Cayman Islands in 2019 have severely limited opportunities for players. As a result, cricketers from these nations often go years without international matches.