At just 29, Heather Siegers has announced her retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a fine career for the Netherlands women’s team.
A prominent face in the national setup since her debut in 2018, Siegers’ journey reflects both evolution and resilience. Starting out as a medium pacer, she gradually reinvented herself into an attacking top-order batter, a transition that defined her later years and helped the Netherlands compete with greater firepower.
Siegers aggressive batting style was best exemplified by her 52-ball century against Germany at the European T20 Qualifiers in Rotterdam earlier this year. It was the fastest century by a Dutch woman and the seventh fastest in women's T20Is. A career-best innings in equal parts aggression and timing, underlining her ability to seize moments and lift her side.
Across her T20I career, Siegers notched up two fifties, against Jersey and the USA, to go along with her century, and became one of the Netherlands’ most impactful all-rounders. Her early years with the ball were equally significant; she claimed two three-wicket hauls in T20Is, 3/27 against Namibia and 3/31 versus Scotland. The Namibia spell, during the 2019 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, remains etched in memory not just for her bowling but for a blistering 8-ball 21 that earned her the Player of the Match award.
Between 2018 and 2024, Siegers also led the Netherlands in 39 T20Is, more than any other Dutch woman, steering the side through rebuilding phases, qualifiers and historic wins. Her leadership combined clarity and competitiveness, qualities that made her a central figure both on and off the field.
She represented her country in 62 WT20I and played five WODIs, and has been a cornerstone of the team. Siegers will now shift her focus to her new job and further studies. Her new professional commitments will not allow her to continue playing cricket, making her leave behind the sport she has played passionately for years.
As Siegers steps away from the international game, she leaves behind a legacy of firsts, having evolved from a seamer to an opener, and a leader who guided the Netherlands women's cricket team through its developmental phase.
