Netherlands chase one more spotlight moment against India

"We've punched above our weight" is Scott Edwards' assessment of the Netherlands cricket team's historical legacy at World Cups. Among associate nations, they have been among the most consistent in staking a claim at the global event. A surprise win here, an occasional upset there—they have been part of cricket's grand stages, though often away from the spotlight.

They offered hope again in their 2026 T20 World Cup opener, nearly threatening to beat Pakistan. With two overs left, they were ahead but couldn't deliver the final blow. A win would have reshaped Group A dynamics and made their final group game—against India—more consequential. More importantly, it was a chance to showcase Dutch cricket to nearly 60,000 live-stream viewers from home.

Such moments are rare, especially with limited cricket coverage amid broader sports broadcasts. Now, facing hosts and tournament favourites India in their likely final match, another upset seems distant. Yet it remains an opportunity to be seen. "Soccer is the main sport and we probably will never get to that level, but for us it's just promoting the game and hopefully our performances can help grow that game in the Netherlands," Edwards said.

Even in defeat, they know eyeballs will be on them—a chance to play their best cricket, unlike their performance against USA. Their team manager reported 40 million global streams for the Pakistan match. For the Netherlands, with 16 million people and 6,000 registered cricketers, that's staggering. In comparison, their national football team draws about 1.6 million domestic viewers.

Beyond the India game, the World Cup offers a platform to attract attention and gain rare, consistent fixtures against higher-ranked teams—a lack of which has hindered their cricketing and financial growth. "To get to the next level, a lot of it comes down to more opportunities against Test-playing nations," Edwards noted. "There's obviously restrictions with funding… but that's not really under our control. For us, it's just playing our best cricket when we can on the world stage."

Edwards praised associate teams' performances this World Cup, hoping it encourages more fixtures outside tournaments. "The better you play, the more games you win, the more of a voice you potentially have… This World Cup has been brilliant with the way a lot of associate sides have played."

Ahead of what may be their tournament exit, they prepare for potentially their most-watched match. Nearly 100,000 viewed their last encounter with India during the 2023 World Cup. "It's obviously a massive opportunity. To be playing against India in India at the biggest stadium is something all the guys are really looking forward to. It's a great opportunity to test yourselves against the best."

Cricket lacks broad fandom in the Netherlands, limited to small expatriate pockets in Rotterdam and The Hague, and local followers of players like Bas de Leede and Aryan Dutt. With minimal broadcast coverage, recognition is sparse.

They hope their performance in Ahmedabad on Wednesday reaches beyond the stadium—into corporate offices back home—highlighting cricket's scale and the impressive team in Orange.