Netherlands have called up all-rounders Tim Pringle and Saqib Zulfiqar for the next round of World Cup League 2 matches. The team will play four ODIs against Nepal and Namibia at Kampong in Utrecht.
Zulfiqar, 29, bats in the lower middle order and bowls legspin. He last featured in an ODI at the 2023 World Cup, taking his tally to 15 appearances in the format. Pringle brings a different skill set as a lower-order batter and left-arm fingerspinner. He has not played an ODI since facing Pakistan in Rotterdam back in 2022.
Scott Edwards leads a 15-member squad built around a strong core of experienced players. Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Bas de Leede, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Kyle Klein and Aryan Dutt all feature alongside the two recalled players.
Squad Built on Depth and Experience
Acting coach Heino Kuhn pointed to the balance within the group as a key strength heading into the series. He said the squad mixes seasoned campaigners with players in good form, plus a few returning from injury who have worked their way back through solid performances.
Kuhn added that the depth gives the team multiple options at every position, and he backed any combination of players to deliver a strong performance on the field. He also acknowledged the challenge ahead, noting that both Nepal and Namibia have played good cricket over the past year and will not be taken lightly. He said the team’s focus stays on producing the cricket it knows it can play across all four matches.
Where Netherlands Stand in League 2
Currently, the Netherlands hold third position in the World Cup League 2 table, behind the USA and Scotland. Points won in this tournament have great significance as the top four teams from this league will automatically qualify for the 2027 ODI World Cup. This World Cup will be jointly organized by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
The four-match series against Nepal and Namibia gives the Netherlands a chance to close the gap on the teams above them, or at minimum consolidate their position and stay clear of the sides chasing from below.
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Full Squad List
Netherlands named a 15-player squad for the series that reads: Scott Edwards (captain), Max O’Dowd, Cedric de Lange, Vikramjit Singh, Bas de Leede, Noah Croes, Saqib Zulfiqar, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Kyle Klein, Ryan Klein, Aryan Dutt, Alex Roy, Tim Pringle and Zach Lion-Cachet.
This combination has a good batting strength in the middle order as well as several spin options in hand, which gives Edwards the opportunity to choose according to the conditions in Kampong. The return of Pringle and Zulfiqar to the ODIs, after being away for some time, has added experience to an already experienced team.
The four ODIs at Utrecht will shape how the Netherlands approach the remainder of their World Cup League 2 campaign, with qualification for the 2027 World Cup still very much in play.
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