As the summer of European cricket blooms, the VRA Ground in Amstelveen is set to witness an electrifying clash, marking the dawn of the USA Women’s tour of the Netherlands. The opening T20I is not just the beginning of a five-match series, it’s a meeting of ambition, momentum, and the shared dream of emerging as a force in women’s international cricket.
The Netherlands, buoyed by their home advantage and led by the ever-impressive Babette de Leede, are keen to showcase their recent growth on the world stage. Meanwhile, the USA, under the leadership of the promising Aditiba Chudasama, arrives with a point to prove and a hunger to turn the page on recent disappointments. Both sides recognise the significance of this face-off: a rare opportunity to test their mettle, sharpen their strategies, and inspire a new generation of cricketers across continents.
History offers only a single chapter between these two sides in the T20I format. Their lone face-off occurred during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Scotland on 5th September 2019, where the Netherlands outclassed the USA by 9 wickets. That encounter, though now nearly six years past, still sets the tone for a rivalry that promises plenty of intrigue in 2025.
The Dutch women, captained by Babette de Leede, enjoyed a promising Tri-Nation Series campaign in Nepal earlier this year. Finishing second on the points table with 8 points from 6 matches, the Netherlands notched up four wins and suffered two defeats, both at the hands of a strong Thailand outfit. The squad’s form suggests a confident and well-settled unit, eager to build on recent successes and leverage their home conditions to their advantage.
For the USA women, the recent home series against Zimbabwe in April 2025 was a learning curve. Under Aditiba Chudasama’s captaincy, the Americans managed just one win from three matches, conceding the series to the visitors. Despite the setbacks, the team demonstrated flashes of potential and will be motivated to regroup, adapt, and rise to the challenge presented by the Dutch in unfamiliar territory.
Squads:
Netherlands Women’s Cricket Team
Babette de Leede (C), Merel Dekeling, Caroline de Lange, Frederique Overdijk, Hannah Landheer, Heather Siegers, Iris Zwilling, Isobel Van Der Woning, Lilli Hamilton, Myrthe Van Den Raad, Phebe Molkenboer, Robine Rijke, Sanya Khurana, Silver Siegers, Sterre Kalis
United States of America Women’s Cricket Team
Aditiba Chudasama (C), Chetna Pagydyala (vc), Jivana Aras, Gargi Bhogle, Disha Dhingra, Pooja Ganesh (wk), Saanvi Immadi, Geetika Kodali, Maahi Madhavan, Mitali Patwardhan (wk), Lekha Shetty, Ritu Singh, Suhani Thadani, Jessica Willathgamuwa
Players to watch out:
Iris Zwilling
She has scored 702 runs at a strike rate of 91.52 and an average of 14.62 in 53 innings, including a couple of half-centuries in the format so far for her side. In the recent Tri-Series in Nepal, she was the leading wicket-taker for her side and the 2nd highest wicket-taker of the series with 11 wickets at an average of 9.72 in six innings with the ball for her side and also scored 80 runs at an average of 20 in five innings.
Sterre Kalis
She was the leading run-scorer for the Netherlands and the 2nd highest run-scorer of the Tri-nation series in Nepal with 160 runs at a strike rate of 113.47 and an average of 32, including one unbeaten half-century (98* off 69 balls) against Nepal on 5th February 2025. She has scored 1,358 runs at a strike rate of 102.87 and an impressive average of 35.73 in 44 innings, including 8 half-centuries and a century to her name in the format.
Disha Dhingra
She has scored 487 runs at a strike rate of 89.19 and an average of 19.48 in 27 T20I innings, including four half-centuries in the format for her side. She scored 77 runs in three innings in the T20I series against Zimbabwe.
Ritu Singh
She has scored 132 runs in 20 T20I innings with the bat for her side in the format and picked up 19 wickets at an average of 16.68 and an economy of 5.07 in 23 innings with the ball for her side in the format, including a four-wicket haul. She has scored 15 runs with the bat and has been economical with the ball for her side in the T20I series against Zimbabwe.
Pitch:
The center wicket at the VRA Ground heavily favors the pacers, creating ideal conditions for bowling, as evidenced by the average score of 110. However, batters once settle in and find their rhythm can accumulate runs effectively, as the ball comes off the bat nicely.
Weather:
The forecast predicts light rain with a temperature hovering around a cool 16°C. Humidity will be quite high at 85%, contributing to a damp and moist atmosphere throughout the day. With a 45% chance of precipitation, intermittent showers are likely, which could lead to brief pauses or slowdowns in play.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Babette de Leede, Chetna Pagydyala, Disha Dhingra, Robine Rijke, Iris Zwilling, Aditiba Chudasama, Frederique Overdijk, Heather Siegers, Caroline De Lange, Geetika Kodali, Saanvi Immadi
Match details:
Date – June 7, 2025
Time – 3:30 PM IST
Venue – VRA Ground, Amstelveen
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website.
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