Sensational win Dutch men over two-time world champion West Indies
Published at 26 June, 2023Halfway through the game, the challenge for the Dutch was to surpass the West Indies' monster score of 374 runs. Despairing...? The Netherlands provided a unique performance by matching the total of the two-time world champion. In the decisive Super Over, the Netherlands was much better thanks to a world record by Logan van Beek (30 runs).
The Netherlands started with Saqib Zulfiqar in the team for Shariz Ahmad. For the injured Ryan Klein (back) came Viv Kingma, who opened the bowling well after winning the toss. At the other end of the pitch, Logan van Beek - who bowled so strongly in the previous matches – was struggling with his length. He was replaced by Dutt after just three overs. The Windies were cruising towards 50/0.
The 100/0 came in the eighteenth over. Also in the same over, Kingma Johnson got Charles LBW for 54 (101/1). Barring one costly over, Floyd was accurate at 0-26 in six overs. However, he suffered a groin injury.
A lot of bowling changes had some effect. Legspinner Saqib Zulfiqar got the ball and in his second over he was already successful: Brooks LBW for 25 (160/2/27). In his third over, King, 76, followed in identical fashion.
Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran took the score to 200/3 in the 36th. Bas de Leede was expensive, but still took the prize wicket of Hope (47): 271/4/41, partnership 108. Van Beek appealed in vain for an LBW on Pooran, but eagerly accepted a leading edge from Romario Shepherd off the very next delivery: 272/5.
In the final overs, the West Indians went full throttle. 374 was the end result, with a flawless unbeaten century for Pooran. Saqib Zulfiqar (2-43) had the best figures.
Netherlands innings
The strong opening pair of O'Dowd and Singh raced to 50/0 in the ninth over. It was 76/1 when O'Dowd (36) hit a reverse sweep into the hands of Hosein at backward point fielder. Shortly after, Vikram fell for 37 (90/2).
After the departure of Bas de Leede (33), Nidamanuru and Edwards accelerated bigtime and ran bizarrely fast between the wickets. Earlier than captain Shai Hope would have foreseen, he had to call on his opening bowler Alzarri Joseph to break the growing partnership. The tactical move didn't have the desired effect, as Edwards reached his 50 in the 39th over.
The required run rate was always slightly above ten runs per over, but did not increase any further. Rovman Powell dropped Nidamanuru in the eventful 44th over; Nidamanuru got cramp and Edwards (67) spooned a leading edge to Roston Chase. The two batsmen had made a crucial partnership of 143 runs for the fifth wicket in no time.
Holder then missed a simple c&b chance on Nidamanuru, but did run Saqib out. Nidamanuru was dismissed for a delightful 111 off76 balls. Logan van Beek (28 off 14 balls) and Aryan Dutt (16 off nine) also kept up the pace. The Netherlands needed just one run of the final ball. Van Beek, however, slapped it into Holder's hands: a tie!
Super Over
Van Beek probably told Edwards he wanted to finish the job. He was extremely focused, he did not even smile when he hit Jason Holder for thirty (!) runs in the Super Over: 4 6 4 6 6 4. Even for the mighty West Indies, that proved too much.
An unprecedented achievement by the Netherlands, which was already close to an ODI victory over the West Indies in 2022. The points and Net Run Rate will be taken to the second round, where the Dutch will take on Scotland, Sri Lanka and Oman.
Photo credit: ICC/Getty
