Star player dropped from Netherlands T20I squad for Bangladesh tour

The Netherlands' 15-member squad has been announced for their upcoming tour of Bangladesh, where the Dutch side will play a crucial three-match T20I series. A star Dutch player has been dropped from the squad, while some strong names have made a comeback to the squad. 

Netherlands will have important preparation for T20 World Cup

Before the Asia Cup 2025, Bangladesh will host a three-match T20I series against the Netherlands. Sylhet will host these matches on August 30, September 1, and September 3. It will be the Netherlands' first international cricket commitment after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifiers, where they won the campaign to book their place for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which India and Sri Lanka will host in February and March 2026. So, the forthcoming Bangladesh tour will play a crucial preparatory role for the Dutch side ahead of the next T20 World Cup. 

Scott Edwards will continue to lead the Netherlands T20I side, while Ryan Klien, Shariz Ahmad, Tim Pringle, and Fred Klaasen have been recalled to the squad. As some players experienced the last edition of the Bangladesh Premier League, the Dutch side has strong confidence in the upcoming away T20I series. Also, their head coach Ryan Cook previously worked for the Bangladesh men's national cricket team as a fielding coach for many years. The Netherlands are reportedly to arrive in Bangladesh on August 26. 

See Also: Key Bangladesh cricketer will miss home series before Asia Cup 2025

Roelof van der Merwe dropped from Netherlands squad

Talking about the big name dropped from the squad, former South African cricketer Roelof van der Merwe, who took six wickets in four games in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Region Final, including winning the Player of the Match award in the last game against the second-placed Italy, has been dropped from the Bangladesh tour. The dropped names are Michael Lewitt, Zach Lion-Cachet, and Vivian Kingma.