Babette de Leede anchored the Netherlands innings with a composed 50 off 45 balls to guide her side to 139/8 in 20 overs against Bangladesh in their opening match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Sunday, 14 June. The Dutch captain's knock formed the backbone of a competitive total against disciplined Bangladesh bowling.

Cautious Start and Early Wickets

Electing to bat first, the Netherlands managed just four runs in the opening over before Phebe Molkenboer attempted to shift gears with two consecutive boundaries in the second over. Her innings was cut short when Marufa Akter induced an edge that wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana accepted comfortably.

Bangladesh's bowlers maintained a stranglehold in the powerplay. Heather Siegers chipped in with a couple of boundaries before edging Fariha Trisna behind for 16 off 13 balls in the fifth over. The Netherlands reached 40/2 at the end of the powerplay — a modest platform with pressure building.

Middle-Order Collapse Leaves Dutch Struggling

Sterre Kalis was bowled by Rabeya Khan on the very first ball of the eighth over, leaving the tournament debutants in further trouble. Sanya Khurana managed only one run before departing, as wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals through the middle overs.

De Leede found a brief ally in Robine Rijke, and the pair added a valuable 24 runs for the fourth wicket to steady the innings. The partnership ended in the 12th over when Marufa completed a sharp return catch to dismiss Rijke for 13 off 14 balls. An unfortunate run-out then saw Frederique Overdijk depart for nine, further denting the Dutch innings.

De Leede's Captain's Knock

Through the chaos, De Leede held the innings together with measured strokeplay, rotating the strike consistently and punishing loose deliveries. She reached her half-century from 45 balls in the 17th over — the milestone coming with a single — before being run out attempting a second run. Her knock of 50 included five boundaries and was instrumental in taking the Netherlands past the 100-run mark.

Notably, this was the Netherlands' opening match at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, making De Leede's composed innings all the more significant on the big stage.

Late Flourish Pushes Total to 139

Caroline de Lange was bowled by Shanjida Akter Meghla soon after De Leede's dismissal, but Iris Zwilling contributed a brisk 13 in the closing overs. Silver Siegers remained unbeaten on 10, and their late contributions helped the Netherlands cross the 130-run mark and finish on 139/8.

For Bangladesh, Marufa Akter was the standout bowler, claiming 2 wickets for 31 runs, while Ritu Moni chipped in with 1 for 17. Bangladesh will now need to chase down 140 to open their tournament with a win.

Brief Scores: Netherlands-W 139/8 in 20 overs (Babette de Leede 50, Heather Siegers 16; Marufa Akter 2-31, Ritu Moni 1-17) vs Bangladesh-W.