Pakistan the latest stop in ex-Hong Kong star’s cricketing journey after ‘cool’ World Cup
Now playing for New Zealand, Mark Chapman talks price tags, learning from the game’s greats and what it’s like to play in a World Cup final
Barely a fortnight after playing for New Zealand in front of 87,000 people in the T20 World Cup final, Mark Chapman stepped off a long flight to Pakistan and into the line of eight local net bowlers “all steaming in and bowling faster than 140km an hour”.
Pakistan Super League side Islamabad United have paid 70 million rupees (US$250,000) for the Hong Kong-born batsman’s services, and there was no time to settle in for the 31-year-old.
Nor to dwell on the price tag, with Chapman acknowledging that while there was “a little bit of pressure from it”, there was more associated with being the “overseas pro because they expect performances from you”.
“But I know what I do well and stick to it, and have an understanding that not every day is going to be my day,” he added. “I go game to game, try to put my best foot forward and don’t get caught up in the price tag.”
Such is the life of the modern franchise cricketer and Chapman has made a fine start, cracking a quick-fire 40 in a narrow defeat by Multan Sultans, then using only seven balls to thrash an unbeaten 24 and see his team to victory over Rawalpindiz.
A Hong Kong player from 2011 to 2016, Chapman, whose mother Anne is from the city and father Peter is from New Zealand, made his Black Caps debut in 2018.