The Netherlands have announced their squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023 which India will host. The trio of Roelof van der Merwe, Colin Ackermann, and Paul van Meekeren have secured their spots in the squad.
Netherlands defeated Scotland and the two-time T20 world champion West Indies during the Qualifiers held in Zimbabwe, securing their place in the coveted competition in India despite the absence of several key players.
The Netherlands will be counting on the opening batsmen Max O’Dowd and Vikramjit Singh to perform reliably in the next competition. Star all-rounders Logan van Beek and Bas de Leede are also anticipated to play crucial roles and contribute with both the bat and the ball. Watch out for Shariz Ahmed, Wesley Barresi, Teja Nidamanuru, and Saqib Zulfiqar, among other important players.
“The selection panel recognised all the efforts and performances from the extended squad both locally and abroad throughout the last few months. The growth mindset that has been present has enabled incredible progression and the trainings and matches have been of a high standard and have emphasised the style of cricket we strive to play.”
“With this in mind, the panel fully trust that we have selected a strong and well balanced squad of Netherlands cricketers. We have an exciting mixture of youth and experience and a unified, cohesive culture which allows those to express their best selves within the group,” said head coach Ryan Cook in a statement.
Noah Croes and Kyle Klein are set to serve as the backup players on the travel roster. Additionally, during the pre-tournament phase from September 19-28 in Bengaluru, the team will have the left-arm spinner Tim Pringle accompanying them. A group of twelve players, including Edwards, O’Dowd, Singh, and Nidamanuru, recently wrapped up a specialized training camp in India. This training, led by Cook in Bengaluru and Alur, had a strong focus on honing their skills in spin bowling and batting.
The Netherlands’ last appearance in a 50-overs World Cup was back in 2011 when the tournament was co-hosted by India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. In the T20I format, they’ve taken part in five World Cups, with their most recent participation being in Australia in 2022. They’ve already secured their spot for the 2024 edition, which will be held in the West Indies and the USA.
The Netherlands cricket team will be heading to Thiruvananthapuram, where they have scheduled warm-up matches for the Men’s ODI World Cup at the Greenfield International Stadium. They will face Australia on September 30 and India on October 3 in these preparatory matches.
Their official campaign in the ten-team tournament kicks off with a match against Pakistan on October 6 in Hyderabad, followed by another game against New Zealand at the same venue on October 9.
Netherlands squad for World Cup:
Scott Edwards (c & wk), Colin Ackermann, Shariz Ahmed, Wesley Barresi, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Ryan Klein, Bas de Leede, Paul van Meekeren, Roelof van der Merwe, Teja Nidamanuru, Max O’Dowd, Vikram Singh & Saqib Zulfiqar.
Travelling reserves: Noah Croes and Kyle Klein
