Edwards confident Netherlands can beat Bangladesh 

Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards believes his side have every chance of upsetting Bangladesh when the two sides meet in a three-match T20I series, starting on August 30 in Sylhet.

The Dutch skipper, who has overseen a steady rise in his team's confidence following strong performances at World Cups and qualifiers, said the squad now carries the belief that they can beat any opponent on their day.

"Yes, absolutely. We always go into every series trying to win and expecting to play good cricket, and if we play well enough, we absolutely have a chance," Edwards said in a press conference at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

That belief, Edwards explained, stems largely from the Netherlands' experience of high-pressure matches at recent ICC events. Notably, they stunned Bangladesh in the 2023 ODI World Cup, a result that the 29-year-old feels still adds to their confidence, even though the upcoming contest is in a different format.

"Anytime you win games against certain countries, it probably does boost that confidence," Edwards said. "Both sides probably have a lot of different changes from those teams, but we're confident in the cricket we've been playing recently."

The series marks the Netherlands' first bilateral tour to Bangladesh. The Dutch, however, have good memories at the venue for the series as they registered a famous victory over Ireland at the ground in the 2014 T20 World Cup, chasing down 190 in just 13.5 overs for the win. 

Edwards admitted that Bangladesh pose a formidable challenge, especially in home conditions. "Bangladesh is obviously a very good side, especially traditionally in home conditions," he said. "The biggest challenge when traveling to a different country is that Bangladesh obviously knows a lot more about the conditions than we do. We've got to adapt really quickly and get a feel for the conditions."

Despite the hurdles, Edwards stressed that his side is well prepared.

"Absolutely, we can overcome these situations [the conditions and the time to prepare].

"More often than not, when we prepare for a series, we probably only get two or three practices in before the first game. A lot of our guys do have experience in the subcontinent, so we'll obviously bring our experiences from there, and for the newer guys, we'll try, and fast-forward their preparations.

"It's obviously a tough series; many countries come over here and struggle, so we know it's going to be tough, and we're going to have to put our best foot forward right from the start."

The series also serves as vital preparation for the Netherlands ahead of next year's T20 World Cup in India. Edwards said match exposure in Asia was exactly what his team needed after qualification.

"For us, after qualifying, the first thing we wanted was match experience in Asia. The opportunity to play three T20s against a quality side like Bangladesh is perfect for the start of our preparation," he noted.