Sybrand Engelbrecht has officially retired from international cricket, concluding a brief but impactful career with the Netherlands men’s national team.
The 35-year-old, who had retired from professional cricket in 2016, made his international debut with the Netherlands side during the ODI World Cup in India last year.
Born in Johannesburg in 1988, Engelbrecht first gained attention as a promising young player in South Africa and went on to represent them in the 2008 U19 World Cup, where he plucked a spectacular catch at backward point and became a popular name.
Engelbrecht went on to play 54 first-class, 57 List A and 45 T20 games in South Africa’s domestic set-up but despite his early success, he shifted his focus to financial and project management and eventually relocated to the Netherlands. He continued to nurture his passion for cricket with the Voorburg CC, whom he led to the Dutch Topklasse championship title in 2023.
At the ODI World Cup in 2023, Engelbrecht was one of the standout performers for the Netherlands, scoring 300 runs at an impressive average of 37.5, including a high score of 70 against Sri Lanka.
Engelbrecht’s international career extended to the T20 World Cup held in the United States and the West Indies this year. In four innings, he accumulated 98 runs with an average of 24.5 and delivered another highlight-reel moment with a brilliant outfield catch against Bangladesh.