Unbelievable scenes took place at the Takashinga Sports Club, Harare on Monday evening as the Netherlands caused a mighty upset, beating two-time ODI World champions West Indies in their Group A match in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023.
This was a game for the ages which has significantly dented West Indies’ hopes of reaching the World Cup 2023 in India later this year. This was Carribeans’ second loss in the Group A, after going down to Zimbabwe earlier, and this will have great repercussions as Shai Hope’s team won’t be able to take any points in the Super 6 round, and will already start behind four other teams in the Super 6, from where the top 2 teams will qualify for the main tournament in India.
While most of the Harare crowd had thronged to the Harare Sports Club where hosts Zimbabwe were playing, and defeating, the USA, a few hundred crowd came to this West Indies-Netherlands game and got to see one of the most thrilling, sensational, biggest upset.
Batting first Indies had piled up 374 runs on the back of a century from Nicholas Pooran and fifties from Brandon King and Charles. When Netherlands fell to 170/4 in the 30th over, with the big wicket of Bas de Leede, the match looked in Indies’ pocket.
Then came arguably the greatest ODI innings from a Netherlands player. Out of nowhere Teja Nidamanuru smashed 111 off 76 balls, supported by Edwards’ 67 off 47 balls. Logan van Beek cracked 28 off 14 and the game was astonishingly pushed into a Super Over.
Logan van Beek, who has made a name for himself in this tournament as a terrific fast bowler, was sent in to bat in the Super Over. And boy he smashed Jason Holder – 4,6,4,6,6,4. Logan van Beek harrumped 30 runs in the Super Over – the most runs in an international Super Over. 31 was never going to be easy chasing in a Super Over, and Logan van Beek defended it in some style, taking his side to a memorable win.
Fans on Twitter erupted with this miraculous win from the Netherlands.
They hailed the Dutch and chastised the Indies for a poor bowling display.
This West Indies downfall will be written in history books and will be read for years to come.
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) June 26, 2023
NETHERLANDS HAVE DONE IT! What a performance by a team missing a number of their main players. Outstanding effort.
West Indies on the brink of missing out on the World Cup. They will start the super sixes stage four points behind ZIM & SL/SCOT.#WIvNED #ICCWorldCupQualifier
— CricBlog ✍ (@cric_blog) June 26, 2023
ONE OF THE GREATEST ODI MATCH EVER.
– West Indies scored 374 runs.
– Netherlands scored 374 runs.
– Netherlands scored 30 runs in Super Over.
– West Indies scored 8 runs in Super Over.Netherlands beat West Indies in World Cup Qualifiers. pic.twitter.com/leN4aITRn9
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 26, 2023
West Indies be like pic.twitter.com/9v53w2heh1
— Nitish Roy (@nitishroy) June 26, 2023
South Africa in T20 🤝 West Indies in ODI pic.twitter.com/48z9ks5HpU
— JustMyThoughts (@shaibal_27) June 26, 2023
https://twitter.com/Ibrahimpinjarie/status/1673351862026633217?s=20
https://twitter.com/Samantha_era_/status/1673352638384214018?s=20
A great underdogs story, who doesn't love it!
ICC should increase the number of teams in the World Cup to give the associate nations more chances and to spring more surprises
— Wahid SK (@wahidskreal) June 26, 2023
THE GREATEST DAY IN THE HISTORY OF NETHERLANDS CRICKET…!!
Put on 374/6 while chasing 375 to take the game to Super Over, then 30 runs in the Super Over. What a win for NETHERLANDS. pic.twitter.com/9f6iMDURq4
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 26, 2023
Rubbing my eyes in disbelief at what is happening in Harare. A virtually full strength West Indies team is being taken down by an under-staffed Netherlands!
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 26, 2023
TAKE A BOW, TEJA NIDAMANURU.
Netherlands was down & out while chasing 375 runs then Teja smashed 111 runs from just 76 balls, What a knock, one to remember. pic.twitter.com/WPuawm2sG8
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 26, 2023
This has to be Netherlands’ greatest win since Peter van Arkel’s team beat the Ashes-winning Australians of 1964 at The Hague.
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) June 26, 2023
https://twitter.com/musafir_hu_yar/status/1673353660779331590?s=20
The emotions!!
A victory means so much to the Netherlands players, what a day for them. pic.twitter.com/mowTVZtsWX
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 26, 2023
What a match. What a chase, sad they couldn't get that win. Netherlands should be massively proud of this effort getting there in a 374 chase.
— arfan (@Im__Arfan) June 26, 2023
#NEDVWI What a brilliant victory! #Netherlands – One of the great days to remember.#WestIndies – Bye Bye#NEDvWI #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/w785CrG9tM
— Broken Cricket Dreams Cricket Blog (@cricket_broken) June 26, 2023
