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[Saba Sports News] Netherlands cricketer Sybrand Engelbrecht announced his retirement from international cricket following his team’s first-round exit from the T20 World Cup 2024. Their defeat against Sri Lanka on Monday (June 17) saw them crash out of the tournament without reaching the Super Eight stage.
Despite knowing that a win wouldn’t secure their qualification due to Bangladesh’s superior net run rate, the Dutch team struggled, suffering a massive 83-run defeat.
Engelbrecht managed just 11 off 9 balls in his final international match. Debuting in 2023, Engelbrecht played 24 matches (12 T20Is and 12 ODIs), scoring 665 runs and taking five wickets. He featured in all four of the Netherlands’ matches in the current T20 World Cup, with his crucial 14 runs against Nepal securing their only win.
The 35-year-old couldn’t make his last tournament memorable, often starting well but failing to convert these starts into significant scores. His highest score was 33 off 22 balls against Bangladesh in a match they lost by 25 runs.
In his farewell game, Engelbrecht shone with a spectacular boundary save, showcasing his fielding prowess. Notably, he was the leading run-scorer for the Netherlands in the 2023 ODI World Cup, amassing 300 runs in eight innings at an average of 37.50, including two half-centuries. Engelbrecht’s batting and fielding were instrumental in the Netherlands’ impressive campaign in India.