Sybrand Engelbrecht, a South African-born batter, has officially retired from international cricket after a successful career with the Netherlands. He began his journey in 2023 and played a total of 12 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 12 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
Throughout his career, Engelbrecht was known for his exceptional fielding skills, which earned him recognition in 2008 during the Under-19 World Cup when he took a stunning catch while playing for South Africa against Papua New Guinea. After retiring from all cricket in 2016 to focus on financial and project management, he returned to the game recreationally in the Netherlands in 2021.
Despite retiring at the age of 35, Engelbrecht made significant contributions to the Netherlands national squad. He participated in World Cup events, playing half of his international matches in these prestigious tournaments. His career stats include 385 ODI runs at an average of 35.00, with two half-centuries, and 280 T20I runs at 31.11 and a strike rate of 132.70. He was the top run-scorer for the Netherlands in the recent T20 World Cup, showcasing his skill and determination on the global stage.
His last appearance for the Netherlands was in a T20 World Cup match against Sri Lanka, where they were knocked out of the tournament. Engelbrecht’s final standout moment on the field was a remarkable boundary save that went viral on social media, garnering over a million views on Instagram reels.
In conclusion, Sybrand Engelbrecht’s retirement marks the end of an era for international cricket as he leaves behind an impressive legacy as one of the finest fielders of his time.