Voorburgs Dagblad | Dutch cricketer Bas de Leede signs with Mumbai Indians

It is one of the most sensational “transfers” in Dutch cricketing history. Nootdorper Bas from Leede (22), who is having an excellent season with the Dutch national team and his club Voorburg CC – leader of the Top category – has signed the Indian franchise IPL Mumbai Indians.

This does not mean that Bas will immediately play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) – according to many international ‘walhalla cricket’. He will, however, participate in the new ILT20, which will be organized in the United Arab Emirates from January 6 to February 12, 2023.

The ILT20 is a new Twenty20 tournament with six teams participating. Four of these teams have an Indian owner. Teams must include two cricketers from associated countries in their squad. This provides opportunities for players from countries such as the Netherlands, Scotland, USA and Nepal. Moreover, they can “only” sign players from the best countries, as has been the custom in the IPL for years. The Lower MI Emirates team.

Bas is in heaven with this contract: “It’s what you dream of as a cricketer: soon you will find the best players in the world in one of the biggest stadiums in the Emirates. For example, three of my teammates will be West Indians Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Nicholas Pooran. Another teammate is Afghan legpinner Rashid Khan, also a world star. Playing in the IPL will be even harder given the stiff competition, but it’s a great first step.

Bombay Indians
Mumbai Indians are the most successful team in the IPL. The team, which included living legend Sachin Tendulkar, have won the IPL five times, once more than Chennai Super Kings.

The IPL 2023 media rights were recently sold for five years to STAR India for $6.2 billion. The Disney Corporation was late, but announced that it would purchase other IPL-related media packages.

KNCB High Performance Director Roland Lefebvre: “We are extremely proud and delighted that Bas has been contracted by Mumbai Indians for the inaugural ILT20 competition in Dubai which will be played in January 2023. Bas’s hard work has led to a been extremely successful against the best teams in the world. His performance in the ILT20 will be followed with great interest.

Reinout Scholte, Former International Member and now KNCB Board Member: “This is a great opportunity for Bas and a reward for his hard work and development as a cricketing talent and as a person. His selection will no doubt be an inspiration to young cricketers.

Lower Leede

Bas has been considered a great talent since he was young, but has shown tremendous progress, especially in the past year and a half. In April 2021, in a T20 against Nepal, he scored 81 points on 42 balls with 7×4 and 5×6. In June 2022, Bas played three ODIs against England with Orange. He stood out with scores of 28, 34 and 56. In July, the T20 Word Cup Qualifier semi-finals in Zimbabwe then played the T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia in October and November 2022. became the man of the match with two wickets for 23 runs and a fantastic run of 91 steps in 67 balls (9×4, 3×6). In early August, he had 66 and 53 no outs in two T20s against New Zealand.

Photo: Tjiez – Nikki Vroom