No World Cup is complete without an underdog. Having beaten the odds to qualify, what can we expect from the Netherlands in India?
Who’s In The Team?
Scott Edwards (captain)
Colin Ackermann
Shariz Ahmed
Wesley Barresi
Logan van Beek
Aryan Dutt
Sybrand Engelbrecht
Ryan Klein
Bas de Leede
Paul van Meekeren
Roelof van der Merwe
Teja Nidamanuru
Max O’Dowd
Vikram Singh
Saqib Zulfiqar
What’s The Story?
The ICC Cricket World Cup Super League was created to shape the qualification process for the 2023 World Cup. Through points won in bilateral series it gave the top 8 sides a World Cup spot, with the bottom 5 being made play in a qualification tournament.
At the very bottom of the Super League sat the Netherlands, losing 20 of their 24 matches. At this point you might have assumed they were a lost cause, yet here they are, qualified.
The story of the Netherlands is a simple but fascinating one. For the majority of the last cycle they were essentially the weakest team of any involved, yet stepped up in the Qualifiers so drastically that they came second overall.
The Netherlands will go into the World Cup as the true underdogs, do they have what it takes to steal a win?
Strengths
Fashion
Before a ball has been bowled this is a team who have already won my heart. The Netherlands unveiled their playing kit the other day as well as the accompanying reversible bucket hats.
As to be expected, the Netherlands will be taking to the field in a vibrant orange getup, finished off with some very tasteful blue accents. For me, no other kit comes close. Even if Netherlands lose every game by ten wickets they’ll certainly look good doing it.
Follow de Leede
On a more serious note, it would be highly disrespectful to overlook some of the talent present. When it comes to singling out one player, it is hard to look any further than Bas de Leede.
In the game against Scotland which helped to seal qualification, he put in one of the most memorable all-round performances of modern times. With bat in hand he was destructive. Hitting 123 off 92 showcased real power, hitting five 6s and seven 4s. This came following a top-quality spell with the ball, de Leede finished with figures of 5/52.
In knockout cricket, the difference is often made by individuals who step up in high pressure situations. To do what de Leede did is indicative of somebody who is there when their team needs them. Netherlands will be hoping that de Leede at some point in the tournament finds one of these magic days again.
Total Cricket
A term often thrown around Dutch cricket is the concept of ‘total cricket’. Borrowed from football, the tentative idea is that you have a squad of players capable of chipping in during multiple phases of the game. In essence, plenty of faith is being put in their all-rounders.
Given the aforementioned performance of Bas de Leede, you can see how this idea has shown a capacity to pay off. Perhaps an even more drastic example came in Logan van Beek’s masterclass against the West Indies.
In a truly spectacular day, van Beek had the rare honour of batting and bowling in a Super Over. When it came to batting he smashed Jason Holder for 30 runs, when it came to bowling he sealed victory by taking two wickets.
With a team packed full of all-round options, the Netherlands are hoping for cameos aplenty.
Weaknesses
Overall Record
However, there are many reasons to keep your expectations for the Netherlands relatively low. As exciting as their Qualifying campaign was, this is a team who have struggled against the other World Cup teams.
A clear low point came in England’s visit to Amsterdam, where a record ODI total of 498 was set. The reality is that the Netherlands are some way off the top international sides.
It is not out of the realm of possibility that some games get ugly for the men in orange. On a batting friendly deck their bowling will get put under serious pressure, with plenty of room for an expensive day.
Unfamiliar Conditions
Finally, there is a lack of experience in Indian conditions when compared to the other World Cup teams. The reality for the Netherlands is that most of their team are not being flown out to play in the IPL every year. They do not have the luxury that other teams have of direct experience in Indian conditions.
What this means is there is a higher level of adjustment to take into account. It will be easier for teams with players that have played several games in these grounds, in front of the passionate Indian crowds.
The Netherlands will have to learn on the job more than their competitors. The speed at which they do this will play a major role in determining how well they do in the World Cup.
2023 World Cup Previews: England | Afghanistan | New Zealand
