'To go to the next level, Dutch cricket needs investment'

Netherlands pacer Paul van Meekeren has been a constant thorn in Bangladesh's way at ICC events. Meekeren has played one match each against Bangladesh in the 2016, 2022 and 2024 editions of the ICC T20 World Cup and picked up two wickets in every appearance. Moreover, the 32-year-old pacer claimed 4-23 during the 2023 ICC World Cup match in Kolkata, handing the Tigers a humiliating defeat. Meekeren has also played a season in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). In a recent conversation with The Daily Star's Samsul Arefin Khan, Meekeren spoke about cricketing infrastructure in Netherlands, his performance against Bangladesh and his BPL experience. The excerpts are as follows:

The Daily Star (DS): The series against Bangladesh was a last-minute arrangement. Are you guys underprepared for the series?

Paul van Meekeren (PVM): We've come off quite a bit of cricket. We have been playing in the ICC Cricket World Cup League and also the T20 World Cup qualifiers in the last few months. Then we had a couple of weeks off, which we probably wouldn't have really had if we knew that the series was happening. We had two or three weeks of training. We had a little bit of weather around, so it wasn't the ideal preparation, but it is what it is.

Unfortunately, we have a few guys missing due to unavailability, and then the weekend before we came here, we lost another couple of players when they ran into each other. So, we had to call up a few guys, some coming back into the team who haven't played for a while.

DS: Netherlands have been an Associate nation for a long time. What is keeping them from making the jump to full membership?

PVM: Getting sponsors could elevate the game back home. We don't have grounds like this [Sylhet Cricket International Cricket Stadium] in the Netherlands. Most clubs at the highest level play on a mat wicket. Some clubs in the highest league play on an artificial field -- two football fields next to each other and then the cricket wicket in the middle. That's how most of us learned our cricket in Holland. That's how I learned my cricket.

Most of the grounds we train at have volunteer groundsmen. To get professional groundsmen who can prepare good wickets, you need money. To get more money, you need to become a full member. But for that, you need to put in performances and have the infrastructure. And if the infrastructure needs to be put in, you need to have respect for the money and sponsors.

I think for us to get to the next level, we need to get a sponsor who wants to go on a journey with us for 3-4 years, who wants to invest in Dutch cricket.

DS: How do you always manage to do well against Bangladesh at ICC events?

PVM: The night before the first T20I, I realised that whenever I've played against Bangladesh, I've done well. I hope I can come back to that level in the last two T20Is and be the Bangladesh killer again and maybe win a game.

DS: You have played in many franchise leagues, including a season for Khulna Tigers in the BPL. Where do you rate the BPL compared to other tournaments?

PVM: It's a fantastic tournament to play in. You see the passionate fans. It's a beautiful country. There may be a few off-field things that need to be sorted out, but there's a lot of potential in the tournament.

When I played here, we had the ADRS system, not the proper DRS. I believe that's in place now. So, some changes are being made. If they can get the off-field issues sorted out with the players, it could be one of the best franchise leagues in the world here.

DS: Has the negative media attention made overseas players like you reluctant to play in the BPL?

PVM: For us [Dutch players], not at all. It's not the only league in the world that has these issues. There are more leagues in the world that have these issues. If you ask any player here if they want to come to the BPL, they will say, "Yes, please." I don't think any player would avoid playing in the BPL. I think it's the other way around. They really, really want to play in it.