Netherlands pulled off an unexpected victory against two-time world champions, the West Indies, in a thrilling encounter during the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers match held at the Takashinga Sports Club. The Netherlands win was one of their biggest in international cricket, beating the Caribbeans in the super over.
Batting first, the West Indies posted a formidable total of 374 runs on the board. Despite facing a seemingly insurmountable target, the Dutch team showed resilience throughout their innings.
ALSO READ
Remarkably, the Netherlands managed to match the West Indian score of 374/6 at the end of the allotted 50 overs. With both teams tied, the match was decided by a Super Over. Netherlands captain Scott Edwards acknowledged the magnitude of the victory, stating, “It was a massive game for the Netherlands.”
Reflecting on the match, Edwards expressed his excitement and said, “I don’t think I will ever play in a better game than this. I thought they batted sensationally.” He commended the exceptional batting performances by his teammates and the belief they had in the team’s abilities.
The thrilling encounter witnessed Logan van Beek, who had already made an impact with the bat, turning things around with the ball during the Super Over. Van Beek displayed remarkable composure and restricted the West Indies to a mere eight runs while also picking up two crucial wickets, ensuring a famous victory for the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands’ innings, Vikramjit Singh and Max O’Dowd provided a positive start with a solid opening partnership of 76 runs. Wesley Barresi and Bas de Leede contributed with a 38-run stand to stabilize the Dutch innings. Teja Nidamanuru and Scott Edwards then joined forces to inject momentum into the innings, adding 88 runs together.
Teja Nidamanuru’s exceptional knock saw him reach a century in just 68 balls, hitting three consecutive fours to bring up his milestone. However, the West Indies fought back with wickets in the closing overs, courtesy of skipper Jason Holder. A late surge from Aryan Dutt and Logan van Beek, who added 39 runs off 18 balls, propelled the Netherlands to a challenging total.
In response, the West Indies displayed a strong batting performance, with crucial contributions from Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, and Keemo Paul. The new opening pair of King and Charles set the tone with a powerful display, amassing 101 runs for the first wicket.
Nicholas Pooran’s exceptional century stole the show, coming off just 63 balls and marking the third-fastest century for the West Indies in ODIs. Despite the impressive efforts of Pooran, the Netherlands managed to restrict the West Indies to a score of over 350, setting the stage for their thrilling chase.
The Netherlands’ incredible victory over the West Indies in the Cricket World Cup Qualifiers has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world. This triumph highlights the Netherlands’ growing prowess in international cricket and sets the stage for an exhilarating tournament ahead.
“Definitely need to learn from this”: West Indies skipper after loss to Netherlands
After the defeat, West Indies captain Hope said, “Cricket is not played in one half. We knew we had to bowl well but I always thought 375 would be enough. We definitely need to learn from this.”
He added, “You really can’t. We let ourselves down there. I cannot see us scoring 375 and losing the game. Credit to Netherlands for chasing that down.”
On whether the West Indies will be heading into Super Six with zero points, Hope said, “We know what we have to do now. It is an unfortunate situation we have put ourselves in but it is what it is.”
Get every cricket update! Follow us on
