T20 World Cup 2022, R1, Group A, NED v UAE: Netherlands prevail in low-scoring game; win by 3 wkts

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022, Round 1, Group A, Netherlands vs UAE: Fred Klasseen’s 2-13, Bas de Leede’s 3-19 and Junaid Siddique’s 3-24 are top three performances. Netherlands beat UAE by 3 wickets and win their 1st Group A game of T20 World Cup 2022

Netherlands beat UAE in a nail biter (Photo: ©ICC via Getty)

Brief Scores: UAE 111/8 (Waseem 41, de Leede 3-19, Klasseen 2-13) lost to Netherlands 112/7 (O’Dowd 23, Edwards 16*, Siddique 3-24) by three wickets

Player of the Match: Bas de Leede – 3/19 & 14

Netherlands led by Scott Edwards took on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the 2nd of the Group A qualifier match at the Simonds Stadium in Geelong. Earlier in the evening at the same venue, Namibia pulled off an upset 55-run win over the reigning Asia Cup champions and group favourites Sri Lanka and that outcome has opened this group considerably.

UAE skipper Chundangapoyil Rizwan won the toss and opted to bat first. The UAE side are playing with almost the same side that played in 2-match home series against Bangladesh recently. Netherlands are on the back of several noteworthy and impressive performances in internationals against the likes of Pakistan, New Zealand and England in recent times.

Considerable help for bowlers from the surface in Geelong

The major talking point of the game must be the kind of surface we have got for the Qualifier matches here at Geelong. Both games on the 1st day of the tournament at this venue saw considerable help from the surface for the pacers who can effectively take pace off the ball as well as bowl quick and spinners can also enjoy. Netherlands’ Fred Klaassen and Bas de Leede bowled notably well in the first innings which reduced UAE to a paltry total of 111/8.

It was tough for the batters to score as the surface didn’t offer them the freedom to play their shots with confidence. UAE batters found it tough to score runs especially at the fag end of the innings and every attempt to go for big shots resulted in batters getting out. They could score only three fours and as many sixes in the innings. Similarly, Netherlands batters too had a tough outing as they were able to accumulate just 7 fours and a solitary six in their entire innings. If the pair of Klaassen and de Leede did the damage for Netherlands, it was Junaid Siddique’s quicker deliveries that troubled batters from the European country.

In the end, what should have been a straightforward chase turned out to be a last-over humdinger with Netherlands clinching the game by 3 wickets with a ball to spare.

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UAE could muster only 111/8 after opting to bat first

After opting to bat, UAE openers Muhammad Waseem and Chirag Suri made a sedate start. They scored just 31 runs in the powerplay on a tricky pitch. Soon, Suri fell off Roelof van der Merwe for a scratchy 12 off 20 and the innings never had momentum. Left-arm pacer Fred Klaassen bowled tightly at the start and got rid of Waseem (41 off 47) when the latter was looking to take advantage of the start he got. Courtesy a great bowling spell by all-rounder Bas de Leede (3/19), UAE lost wickets at regular intervals and could add only 20 runs in the last 4 overs losing 5 wickets.

Chasing a meagre target of 112, Netherlands were off to a blazing start unlike UAE, with Max O’Dowd attempting to make best use of the first 6 overs. Though Vikramjit fell in the 2nd over of the chase, Dowd’s (23 off 18) positive play took Netherlands to 42/2 in the powerplays which was decent considering the kind of target they were chasing.

But some tight bowling by the UAE post powerplay meant they were always in the game. In the next 7 overs, Netherlands could score only 34 runs losing the wickets of de Leede and Colin Ackermann. This arrest in scoring further allowed UAE bowlers making inroads with medium pacer Junaid Siddique taking wickets of experienced campaigners for Netherlands, Tom Cooper and Van der Merwe in the same over.

Just when things looked like going away from Netherlands’ hands, skipper Scott Edwards played a mature and patient innings of 16 from 18 and his 27-run stand for the 7th wicket with Tim Pringle sealed the game for his side, albeit in the final over of the game.

Let us scan the top three performances from the 2nd Group A match between UAE and Netherlands at Geelong.

Bas de Leede gets POTM for his 3-19 against UAE (Photo: ©ICC via Getty)

Bas de Leede’s spell of 3/19 keeps UAE in check

UAE were 103/4 at the end of 18 overs when Netherlands all-rounder Bas de Leede took the ball. De Leede shifted the momentum completely in Netherlands favour, taking 3 wickets in the penultimate over. First, he took out a well set and dangerous Vriitya Aravind for a personal score of 18 and then accounted for Basil Hameed and UAE skipper Rizwan in the balls to follow.

This made sure that UAE couldn’t capitalize on the death overs and the Netherlands attained a chaseable target of 112 to win their first group fixture.

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Fred Klaassen took 2-13 against UAE (Photo: ©Kent Cricket/Twitter)

Fred Klaassen shines with ball taking 2/13 in his 4 overs

Left-arm pacer Fred Klaassen was instrumental in UAE not getting off to a flying start even with the fielding restrictions in place, as he gave away just 3 runs off his first 2 overs. This allowed the rest of the bowlers to bowl attacking spells and at the same time kept the run-rate in check.

Klaassen then came back in the death picking 2 wickets in this next 2 overs and giving away just 10 runs. Klaassen first sent back a well-set Muhammad Waseem who was the only batter from either side to cross 30 in the match. Then he accounted for 16-year-old Aayan Afzal Khan in the last over.

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Junaid Siddique took 3-24 against Netherlands (Photo: ©ICC via Getty)

Junaid Siddique almost bags win for UAE with his 3/24

Junaid Siddique’s best efforts with the ball was not enough for the UAE to register their first win in the tournament. After a blistering start provided for Netherlands by O’Dowd, Siddique sent the batter packing with an off-cutter and the ball crashed into the stumps.

And just when the men in orange were cruising to the target, the pacer returned in the 14th over to take the wickets of Tom Cooper and Van der Merwe in the space of three balls to keep UAE in the hunt. If not for Siddique, the match wouldn’t have gone this far.

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 Points Table

T20 World Cup 2022 Points Table

What’s Next

Having earned a win in their first group game, Netherlands will next face Namibia, who pulled off an upset win over Sri Lanka earlier on Tuesday. The game will be played at the same venue on October 18. UAE will then take on Sri Lanka on the same day and venue, and aim to gain their 1st points after a spirited show here.

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