The Netherlands enter this contest as one of the form teams in Group B of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier 2026, sitting pretty with two wins from two and a healthy Net Run Rate of 0.725. They’ve shown great composure so far, especially in their recent 7-run heist against Scotland where Sterre Kalis played a masterclass. On the other hand, the hosts, Nepal, find themselves in a bit of a spot. They are currently rock bottom of the table after a tough opening loss to Thailand. Playing in front of their home fans at the Tribhuvan University Ground, they’ll be desperate to get their first points on the board and move up from that fifth-place slot.
Squads:
Nepal Women’s Cricket Team
Bindu Rawal, Rajmati Airee, Samjhana Khadka, Indu Barma, Kabita Joshi, Kabita Kunwar, Puja Mahato, Rubina Chhetry, Roma Thapa, Rubi Poddar, Ishwori Bist, Manisha Upadhayay, Riya Sharma, Sabnam Rai, Sita Rana Magar
Netherlands Women’s Cricket Team
Babette de Leede, Caroline de Lange, Frederique Overdijk, Hannah Landheer, Heather Siegers, Iris Zwilling, Isabel van der Woning, Lara Leemhuis, Merel Dekeling, Myrthe van den Raad, Phebe Molkenboer, Robine Rijke, Sanya Khurana, Silver Siegers, Steere Kallis
Players to watch out:
Sterre Kalis
Sterre Kalis played a vital role in the Netherlands’ dominant victory over Scotland, anchoring the innings with a brilliant 87 not out. She faced 60 deliveries and maintained a high tempo throughout, striking 14 boundaries to help her team reach a total of 163. Her performance was a masterclass in controlled aggression, finishing with a strike rate of 126.96 and remaining unbeaten to see the innings through. She has put up 113 runs in her two outings in the tournament so far and is a vital cog for her unit.
Bindu Rawal
In the match against Thailand, Bindu was the standout performer for Nepal’s batting unit, showing great resilience as others struggled. She top-scored for her side with 44 runs, displaying immense patience by facing 56 balls to steady the innings. Although her knock included only 2 boundaries, her ability to stay at the crease was crucial in helping Nepal fight their way to a respectable total. She is going to be a key aspect for her side going into the tournament.
Caroline de Lange
Caroline was the pick of the Dutch bowlers in their clash against Scotland, delivering a clinical spell of leg-spin. She claimed 2 wickets for 27 runs in her 4 overs, effectively breaking the momentum of the Scottish chase. By removing both Alisa Lister and Darcey Carter, she ensured Scotland couldn’t keep up with the required rate, finishing the game with a tidy economy of 6.87. So far she has picked up 3 wickets and continues to lead the bowling attack for the Dutchwomen.
Sita Rana Magar
In the opening match against Thailand, Sita Rana Magar was the standout bowler for Nepal, claiming 2 wickets for 20 runs in her 4-over spell. Her dismissals included the key breakthroughs of Aphisara Suwanchonrathi (bowled) and Nannapat Koncharoenkai (LBW), maintaining a highly disciplined economy rate of 5.00. While she had a challenging outing with the bat, being dismissed for a duck, her senior presence remains vital as she holds the national records for both the most career runs and most career wickets for Nepal in T20Is.
Pitch:
Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground provides consistent bounce on turf, helping pacers upfront and spinners as wear sets in, making it bowler friendly. T20 stats across 39 games average 160 first innings, with 21 batting-first wins. Boundaries at 60-86m demand precision.
Weather:
In Kirtipur the weather will be sunny with a high of 18°C and a low of 5°C. There is a 0% chance of rain, and wind will be from the south at 3 mph.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Babette de Leede, Caroline de Lange, Iris Zwilling, Isabel van der Woning, Phebe Molkenboer, Steere Kallis, Bindu Rawal, Samjhana Khadka, Indu Barma, Kabita Joshi, Sita Rana Magar
Match Details:
Date – January 22, 2025
Time – 8:45 AM IST
Venue – Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website.
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