Bas de Leede succeeds Scott Edwards as Netherlands men’s captain while cousin Babette leads the Dutch women’s cricket team originally appeared on Cricket News.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Bas de Leede replaces Scott Edwards as the Netherlands men’s ODI captain.
- Edwards led the team through 56 ODIs, including famous 2023 World Cup upsets.
- Cousin Babette de Leede already captains the Dutch women’s T20 side.
Bas de Leede takes over Netherlands captaincy from Scott Edwards
Scott Edwards has bowed out as Netherlands captain, closing a leadership stint that spanned 56 one-day internationals since June 2022 and wrapped up following the Utrecht round of the CWC League 2 fixtures on Friday.
Stepping into his shoes is Bas de Leede, who takes charge with immediate effect as the team continues its remaining League 2 commitments.
Edwards first took the reins during England’s tour of the Netherlands in June 2022, stepping in for Pieter Seelaar after the opening ODI of that series. Over his tenure, the Dutch side won 24 of the 56 matches he led, against 29 defeats. His most memorable victories came at the 2023 ODI World Cup, where the Netherlands stunned South Africa in Dharamsala and pulled off another shock win over Bangladesh in Kolkata.
His leadership record in T20Is was equally eventful, having captained in 50 of his 86 appearances in the format, headlined by back-to-back wins at the 2022 T20 World Cup, first against Zimbabwe and then against South Africa, the latter result knocking the Proteas out of the tournament entirely.
BREAKING: Scott Edwards steps down as Captain of the Netherlands
Thank you for four incredible years, Scott. 🧡
Introducing our new skipper, Bas de Leede pic.twitter.com/l0SkOV9PDh
— Cricket🏏Netherlands (@KNCBcricket) July 31, 2026
The 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has now passed the captaincy to 26-year-old pace-bowling all-rounder Bas de Leede.
Announcing his decision in a video released by the KNCB, Edwards told his teammates he was stepping down from the role.
“Apologies for sort of springing this one on you guys. I’m actually stepping down from the captaincy from here,” Edwards said. “I think, yeah, it’s sort of something Cookie [Ryan Cook, the head coach till June 25] and I have been speaking about and I’ve sort of been, yeah, speaking to a few different people about it, and this is sort of the time that feels right for me, I think.
“I feel like I’ve got so much more to offer as a player and obviously that’s my goal sort of going forward with all you boys. I think this is such a special group. And yeah, I think the world’s our oyster and I’m really looking forward to what’s to come.
“But yeah, I didn’t want to sort of get that in the way of the series, but that’s it from me, and I can’t thank you, guys, enough for the efforts you’ve put in for me and for this team over the last four years. It’s been, yeah, a massive honour for me and I love wearing the orange and can’t wait for many more years to come.”
BREAKING: Scott Edwards steps down as Captain of the Netherlands
Thank you for four incredible years, Scott. 🧡
Introducing our new skipper, Bas de Leede pic.twitter.com/l0SkOV9PDh
— Cricket🏏Netherlands (@KNCBcricket) July 31, 2026
A warm handover to De Leede
De Leede responded by thanking Edwards for the faith he had shown in the players throughout his tenure, saying that even when some players doubted themselves or the team, Edwards’ clarity in communicating the game plan, match after match, helped build self-belief among the squad.
“I think if I can speak on behalf of the players, you know, you’ve let us into some really cool battles over the years. And I just want to thank you, for believing in us,” de Leede said. “Even if some of us didn’t believe in ourselves or in the team, the way you were able to communicate to us what the plan was and how it was going to be acquired every single game, day in, day out, was special and made me as a player believe in my own ability more than I ever did before.
“It doesn’t set just the team up for success, but it sets individuals up for success. And I think we should all be very thankful for that, for a guy to be that selfless to put others into the best space to perform. It’s pretty f*****g special. I’m so excited to see what’s more to come for you as a player. I think you’re a very special player and I can’t wait to lead you on the field.”
🇧🇩 50 vs Bangladesh
🇮🇳 28 vs India
🇦🇺 56* vs AustraliaOnly Claire Taylor (160) has scored more runs across her first three innings in the women’s #T20WorldCup than Netherlands captain Babette de Leede’s 134 👏 pic.twitter.com/BAKVvfmryV
— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) June 20, 2026
The de Leede surname now carries extra weight in Dutch cricket, with Babette de Leede continuing the family’s sporting legacy. Her uncle Tim de Leede and cousin Bas both represented the men’s team at World Cups, and she herself was appointed to lead the women’s team at the T20 World Cup, a role she continues to hold.
On the field, the Netherlands currently occupy second place in the CWC League 2 standings, trailing the USA, with the top four teams at the tournament’s conclusion set to advance to the World Cup qualifiers. The Dutch side’s final block of matches in the competition comes later this year against Oman and the UAE.
A smart succession plan for Dutch cricket
Handing the captaincy to Bas de Leede while he’s clearly playing some of the best cricket of his career makes a lot of sense for a Netherlands side still fighting for World Cup qualification. De Leede’s standing as arguably the team’s most important player gives the leadership change real weight, rather than feeling like a reluctant reshuffle.
What stands out most, though, is the tone of the transition itself. Edwards stepping back not out of pressure but because he wants to focus purely on his own batting, speaks well of both his self-awareness and the culture within this Dutch squad. De Leede’s tribute to his predecessor, crediting him with helping players believe in themselves, suggests that the dressing-room dynamic remains strong through the change.
With the de Leede name now leading both the men’s and women’s national sides, Dutch cricket has an unusually tidy story to tell heading into a crucial qualifying stretch.
Whether that translates into results on the field remains to be seen, but from a leadership standpoint, this looks like a well-managed handover rather than a forced one, exactly the kind of stability a smaller cricketing nation needs while chasing bigger tournaments.
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