Veteran all-rounder Roelof van der Merwe and top-order batter Colin Ackermann were unavailable for selection for the T20 World Cup. The Dutch have instead picked young left-arm spinner Tim Pringle and explosive opener Michael Levitt, who impressed in a recently held T20I tri-series in Nepal with a blistering 62-ball 135, comprising 11 fours and 10 sixes.
Like the last edition, wicketkeeper batter Edwards will lead the team with plenty of star performers like Bas de Leede, Wesley Barresi and Logan van Beek in their ranks.
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“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,” head coach Ryan Cook said.
“All of 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 are placed in Group D alongside South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. They will begin their campaign on June 4 against Nepal at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas.
The Dutch will take a lot of inspiration from their upsets against South Africa in the previous two World Cups: first in the 2022 T20 World Cup, where their victory knocked South Africa out of the Super 12 stage and then in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where Edwards starred with 78 not out in a rain-curtailed fixture.
Netherlands squad for the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup
Batters
Max O’Dowd, Michael Levitt, Vikramjit Singh, Teja Nidamanuru
Wicketkeepers
Scott Edwards (c), Wesley Barresi
All-rounders
Bas de Leede, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Logan van Beek
Bowlers
Tim Pringle, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren, Fred Klaassen, Vivian Kingma, Daniel Doram, Kyle Klein (Travelling reserve)
