Mark Chapman: the Hong Kong-born batter who plays for New Zealand

Mark Chapman is one of the few cricketers to have played international cricket for two countries. He started with Hong Kong, the city where he was born, and has been a regular in New Zealand’s white-ball sides since his breakthrough series in 2023.

Born on 27 June 1994, Chapman is a left-handed batter who also bowls occasional slow left-arm orthodox. Here is his story, from Hong Kong’s first ODI centurion to a T20 World Cup final with New Zealand.

Mark Chapman career stats

Combined international figures for Hong Kong and New Zealand, to the end of New Zealand’s ODI series in the West Indies in July 2026:

Format	Matches	Runs	Average	Strike rate	100s	50s	Highest
ODI	37	1,057	36.44	104.13	3	5	132
T20I	113	2,074	25.92	135.73	1	10	104*

For Hong Kong he played 2 ODIs and 19 T20Is; for New Zealand, 35 ODIs and 94 T20Is.

Early life: Hong Kong roots

Chapman was born in Hong Kong to a New Zealander father, Peter, a crown prosecutor for the Hong Kong government, and a Hong Kong mother, Anne, who worked in finance. He went to Island School in Hong Kong before moving to King’s College in Auckland at 14, and later studied engineering at the University of Auckland.

His cricket started in Hong Kong. He played for Hong Kong’s under-19 side at the 2010 Under-19 World Cup aged just 15. A year later his unbeaten 70 in the final of World Cricket League Division Three helped Hong Kong win the title and promotion.

A record-breaking start for Hong Kong

Chapman made his T20I debut for Hong Kong against Nepal at the 2014 World T20 on 16 March 2014, Hong Kong’s first appearance at a major ICC tournament. His ODI debut followed on 16 November 2015 against the UAE in Dubai, and he marked it with 124 not out off 116 balls. That made him the first Hong Kong player to score an ODI hundred. He played 19 T20Is and two ODIs for Hong Kong, the last of them at the 2016 World T20.

Switching to New Zealand

Chapman was eligible for New Zealand through his father, and he had been playing for Auckland since the 2015-16 season. He made his New Zealand T20I debut against England in Wellington on 13 February 2018, becoming the sixth cricketer to play T20Is for two international teams. On 28 February 2018 at Mount Maunganui he made his ODI debut for New Zealand, also against England, becoming the tenth to play ODIs for two countries.

Chances were scattered at first. His first ODI hundred for New Zealand, 101 not out against Scotland in Edinburgh, did not come until July 2022.

The breakthrough: Pakistan, April 2023

Everything changed in a five-match T20I series in Pakistan in April 2023. Chapman scored 34, 65 not out, 16 not out, 71 not out and 104 not out, 290 runs for once out, and was the top scorer of the series.

The last of those innings was the best. Chasing 194 at Rawalpindi on 24 April 2023, New Zealand won by six wickets with four balls to spare. Chapman finished on 104 not out off 57 balls, his maiden T20I hundred, and shared an unbroken stand of 121 with James Neesham, at the time the highest fifth-wicket partnership in T20Is. The win levelled the series 2-2 and was New Zealand’s 100th in T20Is.

He was added to the ODI squad the next day and has been part of New Zealand’s white-ball plans ever since.

World Cups and since

• 2023 ODI World Cup: Chapman played eight matches as New Zealand reached the semi-finals, where India beat them by 70 runs at the Wankhede.
• 2024 T20 World Cup: He played one match, against Afghanistan in Providence.
• Big T20I innings: 87 not out off 42 balls against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in April 2024, 94 off 44 against Pakistan in Auckland in March 2025, and 78 off 28 against West Indies in Auckland in November 2025.
• Career-best ODI score: 132 off 111 balls against Pakistan at Napier on 29 March 2025, in a 73-run win.
• 2026 T20 World Cup: Chapman was part of the New Zealand side that reached the final in Ahmedabad on 8 March 2026, where India won by 96 runs.

His most recent international cricket was New Zealand’s ODI series in the West Indies in July 2026, including 80 at Bridgetown. Away from internationals, he has played franchise cricket for Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket, and for Auckland at home.

Photo credit: Alamy