Former Cape Cobras all-rounder Sybrand Engelbrecht has been selected for the Netherlands National Cricket Team, and will be part of the squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
34-year-old Engelbrecht, who relocated to the Netherlands with his family, played first-class cricket in South Africa for nine years – from 2007 to 2016 – where he represented the Cape Cobras and Western Province. He also represented the Cobras franchise at two Champions Trophy T20 tournaments in India, before retiring from professional cricket after the 2016 season, to pursue a business career.
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa on September 15th 1988, Engelbrecht attended the same school as famous South African cricketers like AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis – Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool in Pretoria – where he nurtured his cricketing skills. Cricket fans will remember how he stole the spotlight with a stunning two-handed, diving catch at point during the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia – headlined on Youtube as ‘the Best ever catch in cricket history’. Engelbrecht has spent time working on his power game as much as his staying power at the crease, and is a stylish right-hander, a right hand off-spin bowler, and an outstanding fielder. He holds a List A average of more than 45 runs per innings.
Engelbrecht is captain of the Voorburg Cricket Club in the Dutch Topklasse – and this year successfully led the team to their second top-class title in 91 years.
Engelbrecht is also dedicated to his business career, with an MBA from the University of Stellenbosch Business School under his belt, and has been part of the team at Fairtree, a global investment manager with roots in South Africa, since January 2017. In 2020, he was offered the opportunity to take up a position at Fairtree in The Netherlands, where he now resides with his young family in the city of Wassenaar, in South Holland.
Kobus Nel, Fairtree Group CEO, who has a long-held passion for cricket, says: “We are proud to be part of this talented and committed young man’s growth journey. He displays all the attributes we strive for among ourselves, and has shown determination, a positive attitude and a quest for excellence in everything he tackles professionally and personally. His Fairtree family and I fully support him in his journey to reach his potential and fulfil his life’s calling.”
The South African connection goes deeper. From 2021, Fairtree partnered with The Royal Netherlands Cricket Association as a sponsor, pursuing the shared ethos of creating an environment for individuals to flourish in their pursuit of excellence and growing the sport in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands National Cricket Team is set to kick off their 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign on October 6th with their first match against Pakistan in Hyderabad, India.
Following the team’s memorable performance during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where they orchestrated one of the tournament’s most significant upsets, and their recent qualification for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in Zimbabwe earlier this year, cricket enthusiasts can look forward to more exciting moments from this team.
