Netherlands cricket team has received a major blow as the squad’s skipper has announced his retirement from all formats of cricket with immediate effect. Pieter Seelaar was captaining the Netherlands cricket team in their ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup Super League series against the England cricket team, but the all-rounder decided to retire because of his persistent back injury.
Seelaar led the team in the first two ODIs of the series. In the first game, the England cricket team set a new world record for the highest team total in ODI cricket history. Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan and Phil Salt scored a century each as the Netherlands cricket team received a gigantic target of 499 runs.
In the second match, Pieter Seelaar won the toss and decided to bat first. England won that game comfortably as well. After the match, Seelar announced his retirement and said:
“Since 2020, my back problems got worse to such an extent that – much to my regret – I am no longer able to give everything I’ve got.”
England cricket team skipper Eoin Morgan wished him on his retirement and said at the post-match presentation ceremony:
“It’s been amazing. His contribution to Dutch cricket has been outstanding. On behalf of the England cricket team, we’d like to congratulate him on his retirement and wish him well on his next journey.”
Pieter Seelaar picked up some big wickets in his ODI career
Pieter Seelaar played 57 ODI matches and 77 T20I matches during his international career. He picked up more than 100 wickets with his left-arm spin bowling. Seelar was a part of the Netherlands squad that played in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.
During that mega event, the Netherlands cricket team played a match against the Indian cricket team in the group stage. Seelaar dismissed Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag in that game.
