Ben Fletcher, a 24-year-old left-arm seamer, has been named in the Netherlands’ 15-man squad for the Cricket World Cup League 2 ODIs against Nepal and Scotland in Dundee. This call-up marks Fletcher’s first international selection and is a culmination of his efforts to secure a professional cricket career.

The ODIs serve as qualification for the 2027 World Cup, and the Netherlands currently sit second in the league standings with 12 wins from 20 matches. Fletcher’s inclusion in the squad increases the likelihood of his international debut, particularly with several UK-based county players unavailable for the upcoming matches.

Raised in Dorset, Fletcher qualifies for the Netherlands through his Dutch mother. His journey to this point has been marked by perseverance, spending summers playing club cricket for Wollaton CC and representing Dorset while seeking opportunities in the county circuit. Despite trial games for several county second teams, a professional contract eluded him.

A text message from Paul McMohan, a former Nottinghamshire off-spinner, encouraged Fletcher to explore his Dutch passport. Subsequently, Netherlands head coach Ryan Cook expressed interest, and Teja Nidamanuru invited him to play a season at VRA. Fletcher excelled at VRA, becoming the team’s leading wicket-taker in the Topklasse. This success led to his inclusion in the Netherlands ‘A’ team and a spot on the pre-season tour to Cape Town.

The Netherlands are currently in strong form, having won five of their last six completed ODIs. The team will be without Bas de Leede and Fred Klaassen for the upcoming matches, with Fletcher and Wesley Barresi joining the squad. Scotland has recalled several players, while Nepal seeks to improve their standing after a dramatic victory in their series opener.

The Netherlands squad includes Scott Edwards (C, wk), Shariz Ahmad, Wesley Barresi, Noah Croes, Aryan Dutt, Ben Fletcher, Viv Kingma, Kyle Klein, Michael Levitt, Zach Lion-Cachet, Paul van Meekeren, Roelof van der Merwe, Teja Nidamanuru, Max O’Dowd, and Vikram Singh. Matches will be live streamed on ICC.tv.