The stage is set for the highly anticipated ICC World Cup 2023 cricket tournament, which kicks off on October 5th in India. The cricket extravaganza will run for nearly two months, culminating in the finals on November 19th. With the world’s best cricketing nations facing off, it promises to be an exciting competition between bat and ball.
One of the most remarkable stories heading into this World Cup is the qualification of the Netherlands cricket team.
The Dutch squad astoundingly booked their spot in the tournament, defeating more established teams like West Indies and Zimbabwe, proving their merit during the rigorous qualifying stage.
Their qualification demonstrates the growing strength and competitiveness of emerging cricketing nations.
The Netherlands have now announced a strong 15-man squad, led by wicketkeeper-batsman Scott Edwards as captain.
The team sees the return of veteran all-rounders Roelof van der Merwe and Colin Ackermann, both of whom bring a wealth of experience after some time away from international cricket.
The side will also heavily feature Bas de Leede, whose eye-catching performances with both bat and ball during the qualifiers helped secure the Netherlands’ World Cup berth.
Key Players of the Netherlands Cricket Team in ODI World Cup 2023
Talented opening batsman Max O’Dowd also makes the team as a key part of the Dutch top order. An intriguing new face is 22-year-old Vikramjit Singh, a promising opener who has impressed in recent domestic cricket and now gets his chance on the biggest stage.
Regarding preparations, the Netherlands have arranged a trio of vital practice matches against Indian domestic side Karnataka, which should help them acclimate to the conditions.
They also have two official World Cup warm-up fixtures lined up, against tournament favourites Australia on September 30th and hosts India on October 3rd.
Their World Cup campaign then opens up against rivals Pakistan on October 6th in Hyderabad, in what should be an exciting match between two ascending nations hoping to make their mark on the cricketing world.
The Netherlands have put together a balanced squad blending youth and experience. If they can channel the same tenacity that got them here, who knows what upsets this unfancied team could produce on the World Cup stage.
Netherlands Schedule For ICC World Cup 2023
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 6 | Pakistan vs Netherlands | Hyderabad | 2:00 pm IST |
| October 9 | New Zealand vs Netherlands | Hyderabad | 2:00 pm IST |
| October 17 | South Africa vs Netherlands | Dharamsala | 2:00 pm IST |
| October 21 | Netherlands vs Sri Lanka | Lucknow | 10:30 am IST |
| October 25 | Australia vs Netherlands | Delhi | 2:00 pm IST |
| October 28 | Netherlands vs Bangladesh | Kolkata | 2:00 pm IST |
| November 3 | Netherlands vs Afghanistan | Lucknow | 2:00 pm IST |
| November 8 | England vs Netherlands | Pune | 2:00 pm IST |
| November 12 | India vs Netherlands | Bengaluru | 2:00 pm IST |
Netherlands Cricket Team Squad for ICC World Cup 2023
- Scott Edwards (c)
- Max O’Dowd
- Bas de Leede
- Vikram Singh
- Teja Nidamanuru
- Paul van Meekeren
- Colin Ackermann
- Roelof van der Merwe
- Logan van Beek
- Aryan Dutt
- Ryan Klein
- Wesley Barresi
- Saqib Zulfiqar
- Shariz Ahmad
- Sybrand Engelbrecht
