Vikramjit Singh: From hitting sixes as a teen in the Southern Smash to opening the batting at the World Cup

From an emerging talent playing in country WA to opening the batting against the world’s best — it has been a rapid rise to the top for Netherlands young gun Vikramjit Singh.

Singh has a key role at the top of the order for the Netherlands in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup currently being played in India, just four years on from a stint in regional WA.

He spent time playing for Colts in the Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association and was also part of Albany’s inaugural edition of the Southern Smash.

Singh showed his promise in the 2019 tournament, regional WA’s premier T20 showcase, as he helped his Camtrans Bulldogs team into the grand final.

He was one of the big hitters in that competition while in WA to play a season with colts and went on to make his one day international debut for the Dutch in 2022.

Fast forward to 2023 and Singh is front and centre on many cricket fans televisions, having opened the batting for the Netherlands in their first two matches of this year’s World Cup.

WA Country XI captain and former Albany player Tim Hutchison says Singh playing at the World Cup shows the quality that is attracted to Albany’s marquee cricket event each December.

“It’s amazing to watch him now,” he said.

“He looked a really talented guy at the Smash, his hand-eye was incredible and he was exceptional in the field and he was only 17 at the time.

“To go on and score runs at international level is great to see.

It’s exciting for people that played against him at the tournament and it also shows the tournament is at a really high standard

“Attracting quality players from Perth and regional WA to play with the likes of Vik, it just exposes people to guys of that top level ability.”

Singh was part of the Netherland’s T20 side that played in the World Cup in Australia last year but he played a crucial role in his country getting into the 50-over World Cup.

The talented left-hander scored 326 runs at an average of 40.75 in the World Cup qualifying tournament, which included a maiden ODI century.

He smashed 110 runs from 109 balls in his side’s win against Oman, the Dutch going on to earn qualification after finishing in the top two of the tournament..

The 20-year-old has played 27 ODI matches for his country and eight international T20 games.

In the ODI format he averages 32.29 with the bat and has taken seven wickets as well.

He made 52 in his team’s opening World Cup game against Pakistan and was out for 12 on Monday night in their loss to New Zealand.

“I know the guys at Colts are really proud of him and follow him with great interest,” Hutchison said.

“I’m sure plenty that saw him at the Smash are watching on as well.”

The 2023 Southern Smash will be played on December 28-30 and Hutchison, who is preparing to lead Country WA again this season, paid credit to the organisers of the popular event.

“The top end of country cricket in WA is really strong and we’ve seen that at the national championships in the last five or six years,” he said.

“The Smash is such good preparation for the guys going to the national champs, you don’t play cricket in late December and then in January you are off.

“Now the Smash is there, it’s the perfect place for guys going on tour to get some games in.

“I’ve got no doubt that has played a big part in our success over the last couple of years.”