The Netherlands women's national cricket team, nicknamed the Lionesses, represents the Netherlands in international women's cricket. The team is organised by the Royal Dutch Cricket Association, which has been an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 1966.
A Dutch women's team first played an international match in 1937, when Australia toured on its way to play a series in England. The team regularly played fixtures against English club sides over the following decades, but it was not until the early 1980s that regular international competition commenced.Other women's matches played by Netherlands women – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 November 2015. The Netherlands made its One Day International (ODI) debut in 1984, against New Zealand, and made its World Cup debut at the 1988 edition of the tournament, in Australia. Considered a top-level team from the late 1980s through to the early 2000s, the Netherlands participated in four consecutive World Cups between 1988 and 2000, and made the quarter-finals of the 1997 event. The Dutch side retained its ODI status until the 2011 World Cup Qualifier. In 2007, the team played a one-off Test match against South Africa, joining Ireland as the only associate member of the ICC to play at that level.
In April 2018, the ICC granted full Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) status to all its members. Therefore, all Twenty20 matches played between the Netherlands women and another international side since 1 July 2018 have the full WT20I status. In May 2022, the ICC announced the Netherlands as one of five women's sides to gain ODI status. Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Thailand and the United States were the other four teams.
History
Early years
The Netherlands took part in women's international cricket from its earliest years. As early as 1937 they hosted the Australians on the first leg of their first ever Women's Ashes tour, before visiting England late the same year.
1980s
The Dutch team played their first ODI in 1984 against New Zealand. This was 12 years before the Dutch men's team played their first ODI. They lost that game by 67 runs, and were next seen in international cricket in 1988, playing in their first World Cup, in which they finished in last place. They finished third in the first European Championship in 1989.
1990s They again finished third in the European Championship in 1990, and finished fourth the following year. The 1993 World Cup was again a disappointment, with another last place finish. 1995 saw them again finish third in the European Championship.
1997 was a busy year for the Dutch team, travelling to the Mikkelberg-Kunst-und-Cricket Center in Germany to play two ODIs against Denmark, a trip they repeated in 1998. They also visited Sri Lanka for a three match ODI series against the hosts, which they won 2–1. That remains the sole ODI series victory for the Dutch team. This was followed by the World Cup, in which they reached the quarter-finals.
1999 was a year with a steep learning curve when another tour to Sri Lanka, where they suffered a 5–0 defeat in the five-match ODI series. After the European Championship in Denmark the Dutch rebuilt their squad and structure.
2000s 2000 saw the Dutch team's fourth World Cup appearance, where they finished last. This was followed in 2001 by a tour to Pakistan. the hosts took a 4–0 lead in the seven match ODI series but the Netherlands bounced back admirably winning the final three games. Later in the year saw a third-place finish in the European Championship.
Their cricket in 2002 was a three match ODI series against New Zealand, which the Dutch were unable to win. The following year they hosted the 2003 IWCC Trophy, the inaugural edition of what is now the World Cup Qualifier. The Dutch finished third, but only the two finalists qualified for the 2005 World Cup.
Their next international engagement was the European Championship in 2005, finishing in fourth place. 2006 saw a two match ODI series against Ireland which was lost. Good news came from the ICC which announced that the top ten women's teams would have Test and ODI status. Their third-place finish in the IWCC Trophy in 2003 meant that the Dutch were included in this top ten. In February 2008 the Dutch women retained their test status for another four years by reaching the semi-final of the Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
2020s
In December 2020, the ICC announced the qualification pathway for the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup. The Netherlands were named in the 2021 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier regional group, alongside five other teams.
In May 2022 the ICC gave the Netherlands women ODI status together with PNG, Thailand, Scotland and the USA.
After a Netherlands women's cricket team bilateral series in Thailand, in November 2022, the team were given their first ever WODI Ranking. An ODI win over higher-ranked Thailand gave the Netherlands their best global ranking ever (12th).
In April and May the Netherlands played in the ICC T20 World Cup Global Qualifier in Abu Dhabi, missing the semi finals on net run rate.
In January 2026 the team secured its first ever T20 World Cup ticket in Kathmandu, winning five consecutive matches including those against Scotland, Thailand and USA.
Sponsorship SISAR B.V. became the official sponsor of the Dutch women's cricket team in December 2022. SISAR B.V. signed a sponsorship contract for three years with the KNCB.
In 2026 Da Vinci and Tachyon Security signed sponsorship deals with the KNCB just prior to the team's departure to the T20 World Cup Qualifier in Kathmandu.
Squad This lists all the players who have played for Netherlands for the past 12 months. Updated as of 1 July 2026.
Name Age Batting style Bowling style Forms Notes Batters Sterre Kalis Right-handed Right-arm medium ODI, T20I Phebe Molkenboer Right-handed Right-arm medium ODI, T20I Sanya Khurana Right-handed ODI, T20I All-rounders Robine Rijke Right-handed Right-arm medium ODI, T20I Heather Siegers Right-handed Right-arm Offspin ODI, T20I Wicket-keepers Babette de Leede Right-handed ODI, T20I captain Rosalie Lawrence Right-handed ODI, T20I Spin Bowlers Silver Siegers Right-handed Right-arm leg break ODI, T20I Caroline de Lange Right-handed Right-arm leg break ODI, T20I Pace Bowlers Iris Zwilling Right-handed Right-arm medium ODI, T20I Hannah Landheer Right-handed Right-arm medium ODI, T20I Isabel van der Woning Right-handed Right-arm medium ODI, T20I Myrthe van den Raad Right-handend Right-arm medium ODI, T20I Lara Leemhuis Right-handed Right-arm medium ODI, T20I
Tournament history
ICC Cricket World Cup World Cup records YearRoundPositionwidth=20 width=20 width=20 width=20width=20 1973 Did not participate 1978 1982 1988 Group stage 5th 8 0 8 0 0 1993 Group stage 8th 7 1 6 0 0 1997 Quarter finals 6th 5 1 3 0 1 2000 Group stage 8th 7 0 7 0 0 2005 Did not qualify 2009 2013 2017 2022 2025 Total 4/12 0 titles 27 2 24 0 1
ICC Women's World T20
Twenty20 World Cup records HostYearRoundGPWLTNR 2009 Did not qualify 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2023 2024 2026Group Stage50500Total0 Title50500
ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier records HostYearRoundPositionGPWLTNR 2013Group stage4/751400 2015Group stage8/840400 2018Group stage8/840400 2019Group stage6/841300 2022Did not participate 2024Group stage6/1042200 2026Super 64/1075200Total6/70 Titles2891900
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier Division One ICC Women's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier Division One records HostYearRoundPositionGPWLTNR 2023Runners-up2/465100 2025Runners-up2/464200Total2/20 Titles125300
ICC Women's World Twenty20 Europe Qualifier ICC Women's Twenty20 Qualifier Europe recordsYearRoundPositionGPWLTNR 2019Round-robin1/343100 2021Round-robin3/542200 Total2/2– 85300
Women's European Cricket Championship/European Championship Women's European Cricket Championship recordsYearRoundPositionGPWLTNR 1989Round-robin3/431200 1990Round-robin3/431200 1991Round-robin4/431200 1995Round-robin3/431200 1999Round-robin4/430300 2001Round-robin3/431200 2005Round-robin2/210100 2007Round-robin3/431200 2009Round-robin2/321100 2010Round-robin2/432100 2011Round-robinChampion22000Total11/11– 29111800
Records and statistics
International Match Summary — Netherlands Women
Last updated 31 August 2026 Playing Record Format M W L T NR Inaugural Match Women's Test 1 0 1 0 0 28 July 2007 Women's One-Day Internationals 116 24 91 0 1 8 August 1984 Women's Twenty20 Internationals 115 52 57 2 4 6 August 2009
Women's Test cricket Highest team total: 108 v South Africa, 28 July 2007 at Hazelaarweg Stadion, Rotterdam. Highest individual score: 49, Violet Wattenberg v South Africa, 28 July 2007 at Hazelaarweg Stadion, Rotterdam. Best innings bowling: 4/62, Jolet Hartenhof v South Africa, 28 July 2007 at Hazelaarweg Stadion, Rotterdam.
Women's Test record versus other nations
Records complete to Women's Test #130. Last updated 31 July 2007. Opponent Matches Won Lost Tied N/R First match First win ICC Full members 1 0 1 0 0 28 July 2007
Women's One-Day International Highest team total: 375/5 v Japan on 23 July 2003 at Sportpark Thurlede, Schiedam. Highest individual score: 142, Pauline te Beest v Japan on 23 July 2003 at Sportpark Thurlede, Schiedam. Best innings bowling: 5/20, Cheraldine Oudolf v Sri Lanka on 30 November 1997 at Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy.
Most ODI runs for Netherlands Women PlayerRunsAverageCareer spanPauline te Beest 1361 22.31 1990–2008Carolien Salomons 894 20.31 1995–2011Helmien Rambaldo 723 15.71 1998–2011Nicola Payne 631 18.02 1988–1998Maartje Köster 539 15.40 1995–2007
Most ODI wickets for Netherlands Women PlayerWicketsAverageCareer spanCarolien Salomons 37 18.67 1995–2011Sandra Kottman 31 25.54 1991–2003Caroline de Fouw 26 25.30 1991–2008Cheraldine Oudolf 25 30.28 1995–2009Jet van Noortwijk 24 19.33 1989–1997
WODI record versus other nations
Records complete to WODI #1561. Last updated 31 August 2026. Opponent Matches Won Lost Tied N/R First match First win ICC Full members 5 0 5 0 0 29 November 1988 10 0 10 0 0 6 December 1988 3 0 3 0 0 24 July 1993 25 2 23 0 0 30 November 1988 20 July 1989 9 0 9 0 0 8 August 1984 12 4 7 0 1 9 April 2001 16 April 2001 7 0 7 0 0 4 December 2000 13 3 10 0 0 25 November 1997 25 November 1997 7 1 6 0 0 21 July 1993 21 July 1993 ICC Associate members 10 6 4 0 0 21 July 1989 20 July 1990 1 1 0 0 0 23 July 2003 23 July 2003 2 2 0 0 0 5 August 2024 5 August 2024 6 4 2 0 0 21 July 2003 21 July 2003 6 1 5 0 0 20 November 2022 3 July 2023
Women's Twenty20 International cricket Highest team total: 255/3, v. Germany on 23 August 2025 at Hazelaarweg Stadium, Rotterdam. Highest individual innings: 126*, Sterre Kalis v. Germany on 27 June 2019 at La Manga Club Ground, Cartagena. Best innings bowling: 7/3, Frederique Overdijk v. France on 26 August 2021 at La Manga Club Ground, Cartagena.
Most WT20I runs for Netherlands Women PlayerRunsAverageCareer spanSterre Kalis 2,053 34.79 2018–2026Babette de Leede 1,800 22.50 2018–2026Robine Rijke 1,497 20.22 2018–2026Heather Siegers 1,339 19.98 2018–2026Iris Zwilling 895 14.43 2019–2026
Most WT20I wickets for Netherlands Women PlayerWicketsAverageCareer spanIris Zwilling 107 17.00 2019–2026Caroline de Lange 89 18.91 2019–2026Silver Siegers 61 26.13 2018–2026Eva Lynch 45 17.75 2019–2025Hannah Landheer 44 17.56 2019–2026
WT20I record versus other nations
Records complete to WT20I #2895. Last updated 27 June 2026.