Cook: We’ve beaten Bangladesh before, can do it again
Ryan Cook, Cricfrenzy
Netherlands head coach Ryan Cook has sent out a bold message ahead of their three-match T20I series against Bangladesh in Sylhet, reminding everyone of their World Cup win against the Tigers. Despite missing several first-choice players, the Dutch remain confident of challenging the Tigers on their home turf.
Cook, who previously served as Bangladesh’s fielding coach from 2018 to 2021, spoke with conviction about his team’s fearless approach.
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“If we didn’t believe we could win, we wouldn’t be here. We beat them at the last World Cup. If we meet again in the same group, we’ll try to beat them again. In T20 cricket, any team can beat another on their day,” Cook said on the eve of the series.
The Netherlands arrive without key names like Bas de Leede, Roelof van der Merwe, Michael Levitt and Fred Klaassen – at least four players who would be part of their best XI. But Cook insists the squad is full of courage and determination.
The South African coach’s journey with the Dutch has been remarkable. After his stint with Bangladesh ended in 2021 following a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign, he took charge of the Netherlands first as interim coach before being appointed permanently. Under his leadership, the team has made waves at ICC events.
In the 2022 T20 World Cup, they defeated Namibia and UAE in the first round before stunning Zimbabwe and South Africa in the Super 12s. At the 2023 ODI World Cup, they again shocked South Africa before toppling Bangladesh.
Cook believes those performances have proven the Netherlands are no longer just participants among the ICC Associate nations:
“We believe if we play good cricket, we can beat any team. We’ve shown that already, and we trust we can do it again. The boys have been working hard for the last three years. We’re getting used to playing and beating Full Member nations.”
However, he also admits the challenges are unique. Most Dutch cricketers juggle cricket with other professions, while the lack of facilities and funding adds extra hurdles. Yet Cook sees the team’s culture as their biggest strength:
“We wanted to build a culture driven by passion and unity. Our squad is diverse, players come from different backgrounds, but now the togetherness is incredible. They fight for their place, for their country. That’s been a big reason for success.”
Preparation for the Sylhet series has been minimal, with rain washing out their first training session and only a single day of practice available. Yet Cook remains unfazed, saying adaptability is what makes the Netherlands dangerous.
“This team takes pride in adapting to conditions. Some of our players were playing on mats and astro-turf just last week. Sometimes even football fields are used back home! So when we come to places like Sylhet, or last year in the USA, or in Geelong at the 2022 World Cup – we adjust quickly. That’s our strength.”
