Zach Lion-Cachet. Zak Lion Cash-et? No, no – it’s Zak leon-cash-ay. I was quickly corrected during the Dutch training session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
The 22-year-old, who was born to a British mother and Dutch father on December 15, 2003, is among the younger players in the squad who have ambitions beyond just playing in world tournaments.
The off-spinner is brought straight into the Dutch top-order batsmen in the nets as the big hitters prepare for their training drills ahead of the second match of the T20 World Cup against Namibia. The Dutch, fresh from their heartbreak against Pakistanthey are in a mood to respond and Zach Lion-Cachet is carrying the brunt of the task at hand to give them the kind of practice they were hoping for they had a few days ago. The rise of Zak Lion-Cachet from the Southampton academy at the Dutch World Cup.
Either it’s his luck or the batsmen still carry the remnants of disappointment, but the hits are not clean. Many balls do not disappear in the stands. In fact, only a handful reach the boundary rope.
SPORTING ROOTS, CRICKET DREAMS
A member of the traveling Dutch staff casually mentions that Zach’s mother was a former tennis player, while his father played rugby for the Netherlands. A quick Google search confirms the story. Zach’s mother Sarah Loosemore, born in Wales, was not just another professional. During her career, she was the youngest British national champion and the country’s number one tennis player.
Someone on the ground suggests that Zach’s father may even have been the captain of the Dutch rugby team.
However, Zach himself gravitated towards football and cricket while growing up in England. He was part of Southampton’s football academy until the age of 16 before eventually choosing cricket. After making his international debut in 2023, the right-hander is still shaping his game and learning on the job across formats, conditions and levels. Zak Lion-Cachet in action at the nets, preparing for the Netherlands’ next World Cup test.
The Royal Netherlands Cricket Association is making a concerted effort to provide better training to young cricketers, despite the limited size and resources of the country’s cricketing ecosystem. Ahead of the World Cup, part of the squad trained in South Africa, while the batting group was sent to Mumbai to acclimatise to subcontinental conditions.
The entire team finally met in Chennai, ten days before flying to Colombo for their opening match of the tournament.
“At least they don’t have to spend their own money anymore,” says the team manager ahead of the clash in Namibia.
“I’m not saying they’re making a lot of money. But they don’t have to reach into their own pockets either. I think we’ve reached a tipping point in Dutch cricket,” he adds. The Dutch team is gearing up for their next T20 World Cup challenge against Namibia.
This is the double life of many affiliate players.
LESS EXPOSURE, MORE FATIGUE
Meanwhile, Dutch all-rounder Colin Ackermann is calling for more visibility for the associated countries. Although the Dutch are regulars at the World Cup, they have not played an international match since September 2025 before this tournament.
“There is a very easy solution,” says one employee. “The teams that tour England in the summer can come to the Netherlands to prepare. We are ready to play.”
While cricket may be more financially viable than it once was, several Dutch players have had to put other parts of their lives on hold to be here.
The all-rounder Bas de Leede, who is enrolled at the university, received special permission to travel to the World Cup. Spinner Saqib Zulfiqar, who works as a Business Intelligence Manager at ABN AMRO, took a break from his banking job to represent the Netherlands, similar to Saurabh Netravalkar of the USA. Saqib Zulfiqar, ABN AMRO Business Intelligence Manager, plays for the Netherlands.
Once the Dutch return home, Saqib will have to log in again and respond to emails waiting in his inbox. He probably earns more in the bank than on the cricket field.
With the Winter Olympics underway, the T20 World Cup has created little buzz back home in the Netherlands. But John, the team’s media manager, a warm 60, says a win over Pakistan would change everything.
It would be huge.
As the Dutch prepare to take the field against Namibia, the question remains. What would sustained exposure to top opposition actually do for teams like these? Will Saqib quit his job and take up cricket full-time? Would players like Zach Lion-Cachet start the game earlier than 16? Would the Dutch management have the means to build dedicated cricket stadiums to deepen the roots of the sport?
We stand on the sidelines for now, unsure of how it will all unfold, much like those nets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium where Zach keeps running in, ball after ball, part of a greater hope that is still taking shape.
The Netherlands know that one big win can change everything, not only the results but also the future. Especially for players like Saqib Zulfiqar and Zak leon-cash-ay.
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– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 10, 2026