Iris Zwilling: "I’ll remain critical of my own performances"
Published at 21 September, 2023In roughly six weeks, Iris Zwilling was not only nominated as ICC Player of the Month (August), but also awarded Player of the Tournament in the European T20 World Cup Qualifier in Spain. Who is she, how did she come into contact with cricket and does she see the chances of the Orange squad during the Global Qualifier in February 2024? It’s time to learn more about this exciting young cricketer.
How did you come into contact with cricket and what has helped your development as a player in particular?
My older brother and sister both played cricket and as the youngest you always want to do whatever your older brother and sister do. That's why I started playing cricket at the age of six in the Friday Night League (VAC) at HCC, so that’s where my development as a player started. I’ve been lucky with excellent and fanatical coaches who saw potential in me and therefore invested a lot of time in me. This has provided a good basis for my technique that I still benefit from today.
Who do you talk to the most about cricket?
My sister and Dutch teammate, Mikkie, is a big cricket fan. Like me, she really enjoys training and playing matches, but we also love to watch cricket together on the couch. Of course, we provide the necessary comments and share our tactics. We also regularly discuss the latest cricket news over the phone.
What's your best cricket memory so far?
In 2019 I made my debut for the Dutch national team in La Manga, Spain, during an ICC European World Cup Qualifier. After playing exciting matches against Scotland, we won this tournament which qualified us for the Global Qualifier that eventually took place in Zimbabwe. Winning the tournament in which you made your debut makes such a special moment even more special.
You have been nominated as ICC Player of the Month and were recently named Player of the Tournament. Aren’t you afraid to get carried away?
I don't think so! Of course, I am proud of what I have achieved, but I always remain critical of my own game. During the recent European Qualifier for instance I was very satisfied with my bowling performance, but in some matches I didn't perform the way I would like to.
Which steps can the Netherlands still take on its way to the next level?
Since there is little financial support for women's cricket in the Netherlands, we lose many players when they finish studying. After completing your study, it is no longer possible to borrow money from the state and most girls start a full-time job to make ends meet. This means that we constantly lose the more experienced players and we always keep a young and inexperienced team.
It would help a lot if there could be more financial support, or job opportunities that make it easier to combine cricket with work, to retain more players so that we can continue to develop as individuals and as a team. Another step that can still be taken is to attract a bowling coach. There are a lot of talented bowlers in our team, but I think we can develop much further by working with a specialised coach on our technique.
How do you see the chances of the Netherlands at the Global Qualifier?
That’s a tough one to answer, because very little is known yet about our opponents and the set-up of the event. Either way, I'm confident we'll make it extremely difficult for our opponents. Last summer we showed that we can be a very strong and competitive team. This winter we will work hard on the finishing touches so that we will be ready for the Global Qualifier in February 2024.
