Pierre de Bruyn to take over as Netherlands women’s head coach after World Cup

Pierre de Bruyn has been appointed as the new head coach of the Netherlands women’s team and will take charge from August 1, 2026. He replaces Neil McRae, who will join Jersey’s men’s team following the Netherlands’ campaign at the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup, the Dutch side’s first appearance at the marquee tournament.

De Bruyn enjoyed a successful professional cricket career in South Africa before retiring from competitive cricket in 2010. He later established himself as a respected coach, becoming head coach of Leicestershire in 2016. Under his guidance, Namibia qualified for the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup. Since April 2025, he has served as head coach of the Fidelity Titans women’s team in South Africa.

De Bruyn expressed his excitement about joining the Dutch setup, while McRae reflected positively on his tenure and wished his successor success in the role.

“I am very excited to get started with the Dutch squad, a talented group that managed to qualify for the big stage which is a great achievement. It illustrates the willpower and potential of these players,” said De Bruyn as quoted by ICC.

“It has been great to work with the Netherlands women’s team, with qualification for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup the culmination of two years of hard work and dedication by the players. We wish Pierre every success in continuing the development of the team as he leads them in the next phase of their journey,” said McRae.

The Netherlands will begin their 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup campaign against Bangladesh women on June 14 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The Dutch side has already announced its squad for the tournament as they prepare for their maiden appearance at the global event.

Netherlands squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup:

Babette de Leede (c), Caroline de Lange, Frédérique Overdijk, Hannah Landheer, Heather Siegers, Iris Zwilling, Isabel van der Woning, Lara Leemhuis, Myrthe van den Raad, Phebe Molkenboer, Robine Rijke, Rosalie Lawrence, Sanya Khurana, Silver Siegers, Sterre Kalis