Belgium Cricket Team Guide
The Belgium cricket team is an associate member of the ICC and sees all of its ongoings organised by the Belgian Cricket Federation. Belgium is actually a nation that has seen a rise in cricketing popularity in recent years alongside other European international cricket teams.
History of Belgium Cricket Team
It is theorised that the origins of cricket can actually be traced back to Belgium from a game that was exported to England from Flanders as far back as the 16th century. The Belgium cricket team played its first-ever international match against the neighbouring Netherlands cricket team in 1905, with this becoming an annual match up until 1986. The Belgian Cricket Federation was founded in 1990, and the following year, the Belgium cricket team became ICC affiliates. In 2005, the nation became an ICC associate member and gained full T20I status in 2018, the same as all other associates.
Where Does The Belgium Cricket Team Play?
The Royal Brussels Cricket Club is the main cricketing venue in Belgium, with this being established as far back as 1885. In 2019, it was declared the home venue for the Belgium cricket team in T20I matches.
Top Run Scorers In Belgium Cricket Team History
Shaheryar Butt can be regarded as one of the most prolific batters for the Belgium cricket team, with him being the first to hit the 1000-run mark after making his debut in 2011. He is also amongst the first players to hit a century in a match for Belgium.
Top Wicket Takers In Belgium Cricket Team History
Faisal Khaliq was the first player to surpass 50 wickets for the Belgium cricket team, with him also being the first bowler to take 5 individual wickets in a single match.
Memorable Games For The Belgium Cricket Team
2012 was a memorable year for the Belgium cricket team as they qualified for the World Cricket League for the first time in its history. In the qualifying rounds, they beat nations such as the Austria cricket team, Gibraltar cricket team and France cricket team, showcasing a rise in the country’s cricketing profile.
In April 2018, the Belgium cricket team were granted full T20I status along with all of the other ICC associate members at the time. In the May of the following year, the Belgians played against the Germany cricket team at the Royal Brussels Cricket Club. Germany batted first as the Belgium cricket team won the toss and elected to field. Germany recorded a 128/7 score from their 20 overs, a modest number to chase. However, upon stepping up to the crease, the Belgium cricket team were halted partially thanks to the 3 wickets from Ahmed Wardak, with Belgium ending with 119/9, falling just 9 runs short. Although it was a debut defeat in this cricketing format, it still marked a monumental point for the nation.
Rivals Of The Belgium Cricket Team
Fans of the Belgium cricket team wouldn’t declare any specific rivalries with other nations. However, the Belgians have played a wide number of close and competitive games against both the Germany cricket team and the Malta cricket team.
