Babette de Leede will lead Netherlands in their maiden Women’s T20 World Cup. Netherlands announced the same 15-member squad for the tournament and the tri-series against Bangladesh and hosts Scotland that immediately precedes the global event.

The additions of wicketkeeper-batter Rosalie Lawrence and bowling allrounder Lara Leemhuis are the only changes to the squad which played the T20 World Cup Qualifier in January-February.

Netherlands were one of four teams to make it through to the main event after competing in the Qualifier, along with Bangladesh, Ireland and Scotland.

“The Netherlands have selected a World Cup Squad which blends youth and experience in a squad which has performed consistently well during ICC World Cup Qualifying Tournaments and the ICC Emerging Nations Tournament in the past 12 months,” head Coach Neil MacRae said. “Babette de Leede captains the squad which will compete at the ICC T20 World Cup for the first time. The players are looking forward to an exciting group and the opportunity to compete with the top ICC nations.”

Wicketkeeper-batter de Leede added: “We are super excited for our first ever appearance in the ICC T20 World Cup. It will be a great opportunity to compete with the best teams in the world, and to show the talent that we have in the Netherlands on the big stage. We hope to make the Dutch cricket community proud, and to inspire young girls in the Netherlands.”

Experienced batter Sterre Kalis, who was also named in the squad and has scored three half-centuries from her past four innings for Yorkshire in the ongoing Women’s One Day Cup in England, spoke to ESPNcricinfo’s Powerplay podcast after Netherlands qualified for the World Cup, expressing her hopes for what the team’s appearance at the tournament could do for the sport in her country.

“It’s massive for us,” Kalis said. “Our first ever T20 World Cup, for an Associate Nation like the Netherlands where cricket is probably not the biggest sport in our country, it’s huge and makes it even more special.

“I was at the 2017 World Cup in England and watching all the games there and obviously didn’t think at all the next World Cup in England I’m going to be there. Hopefully this qualification – for such a small nation and with cricket not being so big in the Netherlands – I hope that inspires a lot of girls and maybe even boys watching us as well and hopefully that grows the sport in the Netherlands.”

Netherlands are part of Group 1 at the T20 World Cup, alongside Bangladesh, India, Australia, South Africa and Pakistan. They begin their campaign against Bangladesh at Edgbaston on June 14, two days after the World Cup begins.

Before that, the tri-series in Scotland includes six round-robin games to be played from May 28 to June 4.

Netherlands squad for T20 World Cup and tri-series

Babette de Leede (capt), Caroline de Lange, Frederique Overdijk, Hannah Landheer, Heather Siegers, Iris Zwilling, Isabel van der Woning, Lara Leemhuis, Myrthe van den Raad, Phebe Molkenboer, Robine Rijke, Rosalie Lawrence (wk), Sanya Khurana, Silver Siegers, Sterre Kalis