The KNCB announced the Netherlands squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup on Monday. Scott Edwards will again captain the side from behind the stumps, leading a squad that looks broadly similar to the one that contested last year’s 50-over World Cup. A broadly similar side is expected to contest the upcoming T20 Tri-series against Scotland and Ireland, although the availability of a handful of players for that series is not yet confirmed.

Durham’s Colin Ackermann is arguably the most notable omission, the in-form top-order bat prioritising his commitments at the T20 Blast for his new county. Likewise, veteran left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe will remain with Somerset, though the Dutch are not short of southpaw finger spinners.

Tim Pringle, son of the former New Zealand international and Dutch club cricket stalwart Chris Pringle, returns to the side after missing the last World Cup due to injury, and also returning to the side (after a much longer absence) is fellow left-arm spinner Daniel Doram, who last turned out for the Dutch as a teenager more than a decade ago. Aryan Dutt remains the frontline right-arm finger-spinner, but the Dutch will be without a full-time wrist-spin option, with neither legspinner Saqib Zulfiqar nor googly specialist Shariz Ahmad making the cut.

Established opener Max O’Dowd retains his place despite a poor recent run of form with the bat, affording a part-time leg-spin option if needed, with youngsters Vikram Singh and Michael Levitt the other options at the top of the order. Sybrand Engelbrecht and Teja Nidamanuru both offer off-spin options alongside their principal role as batters, while the veteran Wesley Barresi can play a similar role and has also opened and kept wicket in the past.

Seam all-rounders Bas de Leede and Logan van Beek lend a degree of depth to the batting, while competition for the remaining seam bowler’s slots has been fierce. Kyle Klein’s extraordinary showing in the KNCB Pro-Series, fetching a return of 14 wickets from five matches at an economy rate of 4.7 and an average of 4.64, was not enough to earn a place in the squad (though it was for a place on the plane). Fred Klaassen is the sole left-arm seamer in the side, while Vivian Kingma, the stand-out seamer on the Netherlands most recent international tour to Nepal, makes the cut alongside Paul van Meekeren.

The Netherlands have four T20Is at home to Ireland and Scotland in the Nordek T20 Tri-series beginning May 18th, though the availability of the entire squad has not been confirmed for that series, all but van Meekeren, de Leede and Klaassen are currently in the Netherlands. Thereafter the Dutch will travel to the USA where they will play two official warm-up matches against Sri Lanka at Lauderhill and then Canada at Dallas, where they will also play their first group match against Nepal on June 4th.

Head coach Ryan Cook said, “We have been able to select a well-balanced team which we are confident will be able to perform in the conditions against the opposition we face in the US and West Indies. All the players have been training well and have been involved in the recent ProSeries with some exciting performances showing the growing depth and quality in Netherlands cricket. We have managed to perform admirably in the last two World Cups we have participated in and will be determined to rise to the challenges we face ahead to reach the next round of the tournament.”

Netherlands Squad (T20 World Cup):Scott Edwards (captain), Max O’Dowd, Vikram Singh, Michael Levitt, Wesley Barresi, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Teja Nidamanuru, Bas de Leede, Logan van Beek, Tim Pringle, Aryan Dutt, Daniel Doram, Frederick Klaassen, Paul van Meekeren, Vivian Kingma

Travelling Reserve: Kyle Klein

Netherlands Squad (Nordek T20 Tri-Series):To be confirmed.

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