Team Oranje: The story of the Netherlands squad making their T20 World Cup debut

28^th January 2026. Holding hands in the iconic bright orange kit, the Netherlands women’s cricket team charged towards the rain drenched blue tarpaulin covering TU Cricket Ground in Kathmandu, Nepal. They had just qualified for their first Women’s T20 World Cup. A 21-run DLS win against the USA continued their strong run in the global qualifier and now, they had secured tickets to England.

Led by Babette de Leede, the side had cruised through the European qualifiers on home turf with hefty wins over Italy and Germany in late August 2025. The Emerging Nations Trophy came next in November, providing the opportunity to face some of the opposition they’d meet at the global qualifier. Thailand ultimately took that trophy on home soil, but The Netherlands joined Thailand, Scotland and the UAE on 10 points and finished third overall. There was still work to be done ahead of January.

Awaiting in Kathmandu were an abundance of challenges with illness in the team and chilly conditions. The first of those curveballs was the blanket of snow that hit the Netherlands in the first week of January as the team were preparing to depart to Nepal. Opting to ditch their bikes, as a precaution to avoid unnecessary injury on the way to training, the squad worked indoors.

Arriving in a cold Nepal, where ice had to be scraped off the pitch, the Netherlands battled against the elements to get off to winning ways with a 22-run victory over Zimbabwe. Next there was strong competition from Scotland, whom they narrowly defeated. Nepal was a clash a bit too close for comfort, a narrow two run win, with Isabel van der Woning the star of the show with the ball.

Putting their loss at the Emerging Nations Trophy aside, the Dutch eased past Thailand and made it to the Super Six. It was then that famous day in Kathmandu where Babette de Leede shook the umpires’ hands as the game against the USA was called off and subsequently propelled herself over to her team, savouring a moment they had dared to dream.

Babette de Leede possesses all the key qualities of a good captain. It is a pleasure to listen to the eloquence and pride with which she speaks about her team. With the increased eyes on the team in the build up to the World Cup, Babette has articulated the difficulties the team face with lack of resources, but it is never delivered as an excuse. They are a squad of ambitious players, led by a driven captain and they are a refreshing addition to the World Cup.

Stories are what brings tournaments and teams to life. They are the things that enable you  to connect as a spectator. The Netherlands are not short of them.

News that leg spinner Caroline de Lange had quit her job to be at this World Cup surfaced this week and it's one of many sacrifices made by the side in order to participate in a historic moment for the nation.

Following the European qualifiers, all-rounder Heather Siegers announced her retirement from international cricket due to work commitments. To the relief of anyone with any vested interest in Dutch cricket, she reversed that decision ahead of the global qualifiers and was pretty essential in taking her team to England.

Seam bowler Isabel van der Woning balances studying occupational therapy and the mandatory placements while also working in restaurants part time. 21-year-old Sanya Khurana is a business student at Cardiff University, relishing the opportunity to play cricket for the university as well as Worcestershire in Tier 2.

One of the few to play outside of the Netherlands is batter Phebe Molkenboer. The 21-year-old spent the winter with South African domestic side Northwest Dragons, becoming teammates with South Africa legend Mignon du Preez. This is also in tandem with studying commercial economics at the Johan Cruyff Academy, a programme exclusive to elite athletes.

Impactful seamer Iris Zwilling also sought opportunities abroad over the winter. A graduate of the prestigious Leiden University, Zwilling represented Glenelg District CC in A Grade Cricket in South Australia, helping them to win their league.

26-year-old spinner Silver Siegers works as the founder of VoorMeiden, an organisation which delivers menstrual education in schools, empowering young women across the Netherlands, following her degree in International Business Administration.

The youngest of the troupe, 17-year-old Lara Leemhuis, will celebrate her 18^th birthday just a few days after the team make their tournament debut. Hailing from Haagsche Cricket Club, her family have been key in forming the women’s section.  

Experienced all-rounder Robine Rijke works for the Kansspelautoriteit, the Dutch gambling industry regulator, as an international strategy advisor, having studied forensic criminology.

This list is not exhaustive, but it provides an insight into what this side not only manage to achieve outside of cricket but also what they must do without the comfort of a professional contract. There is such a versatile range of skills and avenues off the pitch yet they share the common thread of not being professionally contracted by their country.

Their one full time pro is Sterre Kalis, who is contracted to Yorkshire.

They are the minnows in this tournament. It doesn’t help either that their group contains Australia and India, the two teams potentially most tipped to lift the trophy. It’s intimidating but the team have emphasised how special this opportunity is, facing the strongest teams, a privilege they have never been awarded.

Edinburgh was the first destination of their tour, the side featuring in a tri series alongside fellow World Cup sides, Scotland and Bangladesh. It’s a poignant reminder of the disparities between World Cup teams to note that Phebe Molkenboer’s eyes lit up when speaking about the opportunity to play on grass. Astro turf and multi-use sports grounds are the norm and anything else feels like a luxury.

The games at Grange CC were also a reminder of the standard they will face. While most Scotland players have been playing in the One Day Cup and T20 Blast in England, featuring at the host venues, the Netherlands’ preparations have consisted of internal matches involving a wider pool of Dutch players.

There were tough moments for the team in the tri-series, however, a historic victory over Bangladesh reignited some of the belief and ambition that had helped them qualify for their first World Cup.

There’s a tendency with debuting sides for us to slightly infantilise them. Yes, it is a huge achievement for the Netherlands to qualify, yes, these are brand new experiences that perhaps they never imagined would happen, but this is also a team who are serious about developing cricket in their nation, competing against the best and staying on this stage.

They have not been shy saying that they want to win two games which would ensure automatic qualification for the next T20 World Cup in 2028. Featuring at these tournaments is financially important and also important for their profile as a cricket nation.

Within the cricket world, the Netherlands are quite a “niche” team. So, who back home is aware of them? Many are quick to associate the Netherlands with football, field hockey or if you’re keen perhaps speedskating. Cricket is not quite common knowledge with clubs dotted around the country and the hotbed of cricket is the area around Den Haag (The Hague).

Remarkably, NOS Player, a Dutch public broadcaster, will be producing a Dutch language feed of their matches, available free-to-air in the Netherlands. It would be naïve to presume this will suddenly transform the profile of the team, but it is such a vital step in drumming up interest back in the Netherlands.

This week, the question on many people’s lips is ‘who will win the World Cup?’. It’s an important question, of course. But the World Cup is greater than just its final few hours. For the Netherlands it starts in Edgbaston where they make their T20 World Cup debut. They have the opportunity to battle against some of the greatest to play the game.

So, learn their names (and how to pronounce them) and get behind the team in oranje.

Hup Holland Hup!

Fixtures: Saturday 14^th June v Bangladesh (Edgbaston), Wednesday 17^th June v India (Headingley), Saturday 20^th June v Australia (Southampton), Thursday 25^th June v South Africa (Bristol), Saturday 27^th June v Pakistan (Bristol)

Netherlands Squad: Babette de Leede © (VCC), Caroline de Lange (HV CV Quick), Frédérique Overdijk (HCC), Hannah Landheer (HV CV Quick), Heather Siegers (Kampong), Iris Zwilling (HCC), Isabel van der Woning (HV CV Quick), Lara Leemhuis (HCC), Myrthe van den Raad (The Hague Allstars), Phebe Molkenboer (HCC), Robine Rijke (HV CV Quick), Rosalie Lawrence (VCC), Sanya Khurana (Worcestershire), Silver Siegers (Kampong), Sterre Kalis (Yorkshire)