Netherlands' Sybrand Engelbrecht Retires from International Cricket

Sybrand Engelbrecht, the Netherlands cricketer known for his on-field prowess, has officially retired from international cricket. The 35-year-old, originally from South Africa, debuted for the Netherlands in 2023 and participated in 12 ODIs and 12 T20Is. His final appearance came in the Netherlands' defeat to Sri Lanka, which ended their campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024. Engelbrecht’s final act on the field was a remarkable boundary save, which quickly became a social media sensation, garnering over a million views on Instagram reels.

This remarkable play was a fitting farewell for a player celebrated for his fielding excellence. Engelbrecht first made headlines in 2008 with a stunning two-handed catch at backward point for South Africa against Papua New Guinea in the Under-19 World Cup. He initially retired from professional cricket in 2016 to pursue a career in financial and project management. After relocating to the Netherlands in 2021, he resumed playing cricket at a recreational level. By 2023, Engelbrecht had earned a spot in the Netherlands national team and was selected for the ODI World Cup in India that year.

Now retiring at the age of 35, Engelbrecht has played half of his international matches—eight out of his 12 ODIs and four out of his 12 T20Is—in World Cup tournaments. He finishes his career with a total of 385 runs in ODIs, averaging 35.00 with two fifties, and 280 runs in T20Is, averaging 31.11 with a strike rate of 132.70. During the T20 World Cup, he was the top run-scorer for the Netherlands, accumulating 98 runs at an average of 24.50, including scores of 40 and 33 in close matches against South Africa and Bangladesh, both Full Member teams.