Women’s T20 WC: ‘The only way is up’ – how Babette de Leede and Netherlands reached the mega event

Birmingham, June 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) There is a moment Babette de Leede still replays in her mind while preparing for the side’s first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup. Earlier this year in Kirtipur, Nepal, the Netherlands were confident of chasing down the USA's 129 at the global qualifier. A win would help them qualify for the mega event in England and Wales, but then the skies opened.

In their entire time in Nepal, the Dutch had not seen a drop of rain. But when it mattered most, the heavens intervened. Fortunately, the Netherlands were 90/2 in 12 overs, courtesy of Heather Seager's 28 off 12 balls and Phebe Molkenboer's 46 not out, and comfortably ahead of the DLS score by 21 runs.

When rain showed no sign of relenting, the umpires approached Babette and told her the game was done - the Netherlands had won via DLS method and sealed their ticket to the Women's T20 World Cup - a pursuit which had begun well over a decade ago. On hearing the news, Babette stood there, frozen, unsure whether to turn around to her teammates, start screaming, or shake hands first.

"The first and last rain we had ever seen in Nepal - so that was interesting and very awkward, but very funny. I think I did all three things together. So, it was just unreal. It was very emotional, especially because we worked so hard for it. Everything had gone to plan - winning our five games, and it was just unreal," recalled Babette in an exclusive conversation with IANS ahead of the Netherlands' first-ever Women's T20 World Cup game against Bangladesh in Birmingham on Sunday.

Unreal is the right word for what the Netherlands women have achieved -- a nation where women's cricket is so obscure that when wicketkeeper-batter Babette tells people she plays the sport, they think she means croquet. A team that lost every game at two consecutive global qualifiers, then failed to qualify for the qualifier entirely. Yet here they are - in England, at the T20 World Cup, dreaming not just of participation, but of big wins.

Now 26, Babette first played a global T20 World Cup qualifier in 2015 in Thailand, aged just 16. That trip ended in a clean sweep of defeats, and the same script panned out in 2018. The journey from those early losses to games set to be broadcast back home on NOS -- the Netherlands' main sports channel - for the very first time, especially with heightened frenzy around FIFA Men's Football World Cup, is the kind of story that cricket, at its expansive and inclusive best, needs to hear.

The marker that changed things for the Netherlands was the appointment of their first full-time coach in 2020. Before that, the team trained when they could, squeezed between other commitments, and had no permanent figure to hold the thread together. "That was the first step in the right direction. Someone who could train with us whenever we were available, because we all have to combine cricket with studies or work," she said.

Progress was slow, but real. By the 2024 global qualifier, under coach Neil McRae, they finished sixth. Though they missed the bus that year, they crucially understood what was required. It also helped the World Cup field expand from 10 to 12 teams.

"At least we realised what needed to be done to make it to the next World Cup. Before, there were only two spots for basically eight or ten teams in the qualifier. Now there were four, and I would say we had our eyes on the prize," said Babette.

What followed next was surreal - the result in Nepal was extraordinary: five wins from five group games, and then the rain-assisted victory over the USA, sealing their ticket to the World Cup. Players and coaches celebrated by sliding across the rain covers on the outfield - soaked and freezing, but not caring one bit.

"A few of us said, let's just go. Even our coaching staff joined at one point, but it was not the greatest idea because it was freezing, especially being soaked, having to still do the interviews and stuff. But it was so much fun, and we were just having a great time and celebrating together. Also, a lot of our family was there, and there were a lot of tears, pride, emotions, and it was very special," she said.

Babette's relationship with the game is almost genetic. Her uncle Tim -- a former men's all-rounder who claimed 4-35 against India in the 2003 Men's ODI World Cup, including the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar -- is the Dutch women's assistant coach for this tournament. Her cousin Bas is a mainstay in the Dutch men's setup, while Babette’s father barely misses a game, and her grandmother will be in the stands in England this month.

"We love talking sports, not just cricket, but also hockey, football. I feel like sports are a big part of our family, and we do talk a lot about them. Everyone is very interested in hearing how everyone's doing. People are very competitive. So it's tricky to play games," she said.

Nobody pushed Babette into the game, who played for fun until 18, when the ICC selected a development squad of 13 or 14 girls, including Babette, to travel to England and play in the Kia Super League against Loughborough Lightning, Surrey Stars, and Western Storm.

"It was the first time I played against some big names. Some young, well-established English players. I did quite well in those games, and then I realised, okay, maybe this game could take me far. It's not just a hobby or something I do just for fun. Maybe if I train a little bit harder and take this a bit more seriously, I can actually play against some of the best teams in the world - which is now going to happen," she recalled.

But none of this has come without cost. Babette speaks with uncomfortable candour about the toll of chasing elite sport without elite infrastructure. In her first year of studying econometrics, while balancing cricket training and gym sessions, she suffered burnout within five to six months.

“It’s not an easy subject to pursue. It requires a lot of planning and sacrifices. It's not easy, and at that time, I couldn’t combine anything. I was out for one or two months, just lying on the couch watching Netflix. So, it was really, really tough," she said.

The composition of this Netherlands squad tells that story more vividly than any statistic could illustrate. Only Babette and Sterre Kalis, who have been picked for The Hundred this year, are the professional cricketers in the Dutch team. Leg‑spinner Caroline de Lange has graduated in medicine and worked in neurology before quitting her job to play in the World Cup.

Off‑spinner Frédérique Overdijk, remembered for her world‑record 7-3 against France, is in her fifth year of dentistry and treats patients in Amsterdam between playing and training sessions. Medium pacer Hannah Landheer is into criminology studies at Erasmus University, and is often revising on rest days during tours.

Veteran all‑rounder Heather Siegers, with over 1,000 T20I runs, was brought out of retirement while continuing her job at Tata Steel. New-ball bowler Iris Zwilling holds a master’s in forensic psychology and delayed stepping into a full‑time job to play in the World Cup.

Medium‑fast bowler Isabel van der Woning is graduating in occupational therapy and works with patients recovering from brain injuries, alongside restaurant shifts. Lara Leemhuis, a third‑generation cricketer, is in high school, while Myrthe van den Raad studies biopharmaceutical sciences in Leiden and is aiming for a career in medical research.

Phebe is enrolled at the Johan Cruyff Academy in Amsterdam, while combining commercial economics with cricket. Robine Rijke, who has hit match‑winning knocks in ODIs and T20Is, holds a master’s in forensic criminology and works at the Netherlands Gambling Authority.

Rising wicketkeeper‑batter Rosalie Lawrence pursues sports science at The Hague University and interns at her cricket club. England‑raised Sanya Khurana, who struck 43 not out against Bangladesh at the qualifiers, studies business management at Cardiff University, while leg‑spinner Silver Siegers runs her own company ‘VoorMeiden,’ focused on women’s health education.

The situation with Heather precisely underlines where women's cricket currently stands. One of the Netherlands' most experienced players, Heather found that her employer, Tata Steel, would not grant her leave for the global qualifiers, and she decided to quit the game, leaving the team nervous. But KNCB, the Dutch cricket board, had endless discussions with them and they eventually agreed for her to play in the qualifiers and now the World Cup.

Babette took over the captaincy roughly 18 months ago, initially stepping in when Heather was injured mid-game. She had no idea who had overs left to bowl and wasn't even sure how to flip a coin at the toss. Now she relishes the extra dimension it brings -the tactics, field placements, and in-game calculations. She approaches the role with the same data-driven rigour that helped fetch a degree in econometrics.

"I love numbers and stats. I do a lot of analysis myself, especially on batters - where they score their runs, what bowlers they get out to, and what shots they play. I also have stats about bowling first, batting first, and what scores they chase down. I have all of that as I love numbers. So it's a big part of my preparation."

The Netherlands are in a formidable group - Australia, India, South Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Having barely played the top nations – they beat Bangladesh in a tri-series in Scotland before coming to England - footage and data on the Dutch women is scarce. Babette sees these in two ways: unfamiliarity as vulnerability, but also as a competitive advantage.

"In the end, it always comes down to what works in the game itself, especially for us because we haven't played against any of the top teams. We don't actually know how they're going to play against our bowlers or how we are going to play against their bowlers. As much as you can prepare, in the end, it comes down to instinct and how the game is played and what you see on the field. But I like to have an idea of what's going to happen before the game starts."

Ask Babette about her cricketing hero and the answer is immediate: Sarah Taylor - the former England wicketkeeper-batter, who made history as the first woman to serve on a men's team's coaching staff.

"I've never met her, so I really hope I'll get the chance in England now to meet her because I think her kindness is incredible. I don't think anyone will be better than her. So, I would love to meet her and maybe even have a keeping session with her."

When not on Netherlands duty, Babette spends her winters in South Africa, where she held a full-time contract with Boland - a luxury that has sharply accelerated her development and is changing teams this season. The English conditions, she notes, will feel familiar - four seasons in a single afternoon, seam movement, unpredictability, making them feel at home.

"In England, you never know with the weather. A rainy day might be different from a sunny day. The conditions are actually a little bit similar to the ones we have in the Netherlands. We are prepared for the English conditions, and we hope that it works to our advantage."

The Netherlands are targeting two wins and a top-eight finish, which would guarantee automatic qualification for the 2028 T20 World Cup. Babette believes it is achievable and also sees the larger picture: the exposure, becoming an inspiration for girls back home, and the possibility of strong performances opening franchise league doors for her teammates.

With the Dutch pacers being unusually tall, Babette is relishing the prospect of keeping wickets against them in England’s conditions. "I love pace on the ball. I also play men's cricket in the Netherlands, and the faster it goes, the better and the more I enjoy it, especially if you get a nick and it makes things more fun. We do have some very tall girls who are pace bowlers. So I really enjoy it, and we have some very talented girls who can move the ball, seam it a bit, nip it a bit, and I'm very excited to see how they go."

Excited is precisely the mood in the Dutch camp ahead of their first World Cup game, though Babette still can't quite believe it's for real. "It's a great opportunity for us to show the world the talent we have and measure ourselves against some of the best teams in the world. It's a super exciting opportunity for all of us.

“We're happy that we made it to the World Cup, but we do want to win some games and cause some upsets. Also, it would be insane to win our first-ever T20 World Cup game, and we might write some history there as well. We need to play our best cricket, but I believe we can definitely beat two teams on good days. I just hope to make the Dutch cricket community proud. I really hope so that the only way is up."

Source: IANS