Expectations
Golden Palms Hotel in Bengaluru was the venue. The occasion was the unveiling of the Netherlands’ jerseys. As the cameras zoomed in, the camaraderie and togetherness among the players made for unmistakable viewing. And that kind of team spirit was the secret behind their tremendous run during the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe. We can expect to see more of it during the course of the World Cup.
Obviously, the expectations are low from the Scott Edwards-led side. They have been bolstered by the inclusion of Paul van Meekeren, Colin Ackermann, Roelof van der Merwe and the South African-born, now Netherlands-qualified, Sybrand Engelbrecht. But they still lost both their practice games against Karnataka.
They lost the first game by a whopping margin of 142 runs. Netherlands did put up a better show in the second encounter, eventually losing by a solitary wicket. In their practice game against Australia, the bowling was largely disciplined. The Netherlands’ batters, though, couldn’t find a way versus some exceptional bowling from Mitchell Starc.
Where they finished last time
Netherlands last played in the 50-over World Cup in 2011.They couldn’t win any of their matches and finished as the bottom-placed side in Group B.
Strengths and weaknesses
Batting depth: If all players were available, Netherlands’ main strength could have been their pace attack. An attack comprising Paul van Meekeran, Bradon Glover, Fred Klaassen, Van der Gugten, Logan van Beek, Bas de Leede and others would have had enough firepower and depth. Unfortunately, for different reasons, Gugten, Klaassen and Glover haven’t made the trip to India. So, depth in batting could be the cornerstone of the side. The essence of the point is illustrated by the fact that Van Beek and Roelof van der Merwe, who are set to take the No. 7 and No. 8 slots, can play big shots under pressure.
Lack of experience: The biggest weakness of the Netherlands set-up is very few of their cricketers have played in India. In alien conditions, it could be a struggle for the Netherlands to match the big guns in the tournament.
Star turn
Scott Edwards. The Netherlands captain is their crisis-man. Be it against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, England or Afghanistan, Edwards has invariably lifted his team from the abyss in the last couple of years. It shouldn’t be a surprise that he has accumulated 1057 runs at an average of more than 45 since the start of 2022.
Also, keep an eye on Engelbrecht. The elegant right-handed batter and off-spinner went missing from action after the 2016 South African domestic season. He subsequently did MBA and took a different career path. In 2021, he shifted to the Netherlands and has now qualified to play for the national side.
New kid on the block
Vikramjit Singh. It feels as if he has been around for ages. But if you glance through his bio data, he is just 20. He already has one hundred and four fifties to his name. Although his strike of 77.17 is on the lower side, the Netherlands think-tank would be hoping for the Cheema Khurd-born opener to provide solid starts. Bas de Leede, the 23-year-old, is another youngster who could make an impact. His hitting prowess and variations make him one of the key members of the side.
Where they should finish
10th place. But they would be hoping to cause an upset or two.
Match schedule
Oct 6: Versus Pakistan, Hyderabad
Oct 9: Versus New Zealand, Hyderabad
Oct 17: Versus South Africa, Dharamsala
Oct 21: Versus Sri Lanka, Lucknow
Oct 25: Versus Australia, Delhi
Oct 28: Versus Bangladesh, Kolkata
Nov 3: Versus Afghanistan, Lucknow
Nov 8: Versus England, Pune
Nov 11: Versus India November, Bengaluru
Full squad: Scott Edwards (c), Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Vikramjit Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Paul van Meekeren, Colin Ackermann, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Ryan Klein, Wesley Barresi, Saqib Zulfiqar, Shariz Ahmad, Sybrand Engelbrecht.
Likely first-choice XI: Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Scott Edwards (c & wk), Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Ryan Klein, Paul van Meekeren.