There was a lighter moment ahead of the second T20I between Bangladesh and the Netherlands in Sylhet when Dutch opener Max O’Dowd briefly traded his bat for a microphone.
During the pre-match press conference, it was O’Dowd asking the questions of his teammate Noah Croes, much to the amusement of the assembled media. Croes, who fronted the session, even suggested that O’Dowd might have a future in the trade once his playing days are over.
“I think he’s got a career there,” Croes smiled. “He’s very good at the social media side as well, and I think he’s going to be there post-career for sure.”
The exchange also gave Croes a chance to clear up the story behind his own unusual nickname, “Tonker”. “Our media manager has notoriously named trucks with his MLB record, like his baseball. So he sort of gave me that, as his protégé,” Croes explained, laughing.
When pressed by his teammate on which Bangladeshi cricketer he admired most, Croes had no hesitation in naming left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman. “It’s a good one, Maxi. There are a number of honourable mentions, but I think it’s hard to go past Mustafizur. I saw him bowling in the 2024 World Cup last year, and to face him was a really cool experience.”
The light-hearted cameo showed the close-knit nature of the Dutch squad as they prepare for the second match of the three-game series. While Bangladesh lead 1–0 after a commanding win in the opener, the Netherlands remain upbeat and, judging by O’Dowd’s performance with the microphone, may have discovered a new post-cricket career option for their senior opener.
