When I saw CM Rocca on the Gibraltar scorecard against Bulgaria yesterday, I initially assumed it was a new generation of the Rocca family playing for the British Overseas Territory. Perhaps a son, nephew or even grandson.

So imagine my surprise when I was watching Gibraltar bat against Romania today and saw the 57 year old Gibraltar cricket legend Christian Rocca walk out at the fall of the first wicket, batting for the first time a T20I. He wasn't required against Bulgaria as openers Balaji Pai and Louis Bruce put on an unbroken 213, helping Gibraltar become the first team to bat first in a T20I and bat a full 20 overs without losing a wicket.

He scored 14 from 19 balls against Romania today, including two fours, in a total of 141. Romania went on to chase down the target rapidly, scoring the required runs in just 11.2 overs to lift their net run rate above that of the Czech Republic and secure a place in tomorrow's final.

At 57 years and 67 days, Rocca is the third oldest player ever to play T20Is, the oldest being Osman Goker who was 6 months short of his 60th birthday when he last played for Turkey. The oldest in any international cricket that I've been able to confirm is Portugal's Akbar Saiyad who played his last match 12 days after he turned 66.

Coincidentally, Rocca today played against the youngest ever men's T20I cricketer Marian Gherasim. He was 14 years and 16 days old when he made his debut against Bulgaria in October 2020.

Rocca made his debut back in the 1986 ICC Trophy, playing against Hong Kong. At a month short of 36 years, that makes his international career than all but a handful of the other players involved in today's match. Romania are the 35th international team he has played against, his list of opponents including teams from all five ICC regions. Before yesterday he hadn't played for Gibraltar since a World Cricket League Division 8 tournament in Kuwait back in November 2010.