In an action-packed clash at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 (CWC23), England set a challenging target of 340 runs for the Netherlands and then showcased a commanding display of defense.
England’s Dawid Malan kick-started the first innings with an aggressive 87, setting the tone for the team. Ben Stokes emerged as the star with a remarkable century, scoring 108 runs, and receiving strong support from the lower-order batsmen, who unleashed big hits to propel the team to a formidable total in Pune.
Stokes displayed his prowess, smashing six fours and an equal number of sixes during his spectacular innings.
Chasing the daunting target, the Netherlands struggled to gain momentum. England’s pacers, David Willey and Chris Woakes, along with spinners Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali, consistently took wickets, preventing the Dutch side from achieving their required run rate.
Chris Woakes was particularly impressive with the new ball, creating movement and causing difficulties for the batsmen. This resulted in crucial wickets, including Max O’Dowd and Colin Ackermann, leaving the Netherlands two wickets down early in the innings.
Despite the efforts of Sybrand Engelbrecht and Wesley Barresi, who managed to stabilize the innings with a 54-run partnership for the third wicket, a mix-up between them led to Barresi’s run-out. As the required run rate increased, Engelbrecht’s dismissal further hampered the Netherlands’ chances of victory.
The arrival of Teja Nidamanuru after the 25-over mark injected some momentum into the Netherlands’ innings. Nidamanuru’s aggressive batting, including four boundaries and three sixes, added 59 runs from 50 balls for the sixth wicket.
However, the Dutch side lost their way after the dismissals of skipper Scott Edwards and Logan van Beek. The chase derailed, and the Netherlands lost their final five wickets for just 16 runs, ultimately being bowled out for 179.
In England’s innings, Dawid Malan’s explosive start, which included a hat-trick of boundaries, set the stage for a high run rate. Despite losing Jonny Bairstow early, England maintained a healthy run rate in the Powerplay period.
Malan continued to dominate, and he was on course for his seventh ODI hundred until the Netherlands fought back, dismissing him and Joe Root.
Ben Stokes then took charge with aggressive batting, taking advantage of boundaries and keeping the scoreboard ticking. However, the Netherlands remained in the game by taking crucial wickets, including Harry Brook and Jos Buttler.
With half of their side back in the pavilion by the 30-over mark, England needed their batsmen to build a substantial partnership. Chris Woakes joined forces with Stokes, and the pair stitched together a remarkable 129-run stand for the seventh wicket in just 81 balls.
In the final ten overs, the duo accelerated, with Stokes hitting three sixes and a four in the 45th over. Stokes went on to score his maiden Cricket World Cup century in the 48th over, propelling England beyond the 300-run mark.
During the toss, Jos Buttler won the coin toss and elected to bat first. Harry Brook and Gus Atkinson returned to the side in place of Liam Livingstone and Mark Wood.
Netherlands’ captain Scott Edwards expressed no concern about being asked to field first and was ready for the challenge. Teja Nidamanuru came in for Saqib Zulfiqar in their lineup.
In this thrilling encounter, England’s dominant batting performance and well-executed bowling made all the difference, securing a convincing victory against the Netherlands at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
