Despite a heavy defeat in the opening T20I, Netherlands batter Noah Croes says the camp remains confident of turning the series around against Bangladesh in Sylhet.
Bangladesh chased down 137 with eight wickets and 39 balls to spare in the first match, with Taskin Ahmed’s four wickets leading the way for the hosts. But Croes insists the Dutch side are far from disheartened.
“Definitely. We think the camp has really great belief, and as I said before, taking some really good lessons from last night and we really think our best cricket can stack up against Bangladesh. So there is no reason why we can’t get a series win,” Croes told reporters on the eve of the second T20I.
The 25-year-old batter admitted Bangladesh’s varied pace attack, led by Taskin and Mustafizur Rahman, had proved a stern challenge. “I think they’re really high-quality bowlers. They all offer something really different. They’ve all got franchise experience, so it was really good learning and really good experience for us,” he said.
Croes stressed that playing in foreign conditions will benefit the Netherlands ahead of the T20 World Cup. “I think it’s invaluable for us. Coming from our home conditions in Holland, where it’s traditionally a bit slow, playing in these types of wickets and conditions is really valuable experience. We’re definitely here for it as well.”
The Dutchman, who made his debut in 2023, also singled out the local support in Sylhet as a highlight of the tour. “It’s one of my first experiences with such a crowd and I loved every bit of it. They were really vocal, but really supportive as well. It was a joy to play in front of them.”
He added that Bangladesh’s batting, particularly Litton Das’s unbeaten 63 off 37 balls, offered a template for success. “It was really cool to watch live. It was a high-class innings. Just the way he batted, low-risk options made it so easy. It really gives us a template of how to play in these conditions.”
Croes’s optimism underscores the Netherlands’ approach heading into the second T20I: learning from setbacks while maintaining belief that their best can compete. “As a batting group, it’s just about executing the plan better. Having that experience as a reference point, we’re going to be in a really good place to put in a good performance and show our skills.”
The second T20I takes place in Sylhet on Sunday, with the Dutch needing victory to keep the three-match series alive.
