Scott Edwards’ men overcame the Oman challenge with ease at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023.

Ayaan Khan’s (105*) scintillating hundred stood out in the Oman batting effort, but eventually, the mammoth Dutch target proved far beyond their reach. Aryan Dutt (3/31) was the pick of Netherlands bowlers. 

In the first innings, a stupendous century from Vikramjit Singh and an aggressive 97 off 65 from Wesley Barresi along with cameos from Bas de Leede and Saqib Zulfiqar, helped Netherlands to a commanding position. 

With this win the Dutch keep their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup qualification chances alive. 

Faced with a daunting target of 364 after early rains reduced the match to 48-overs-per-side, Oman got off to a secure yet unthreatening start. Jatinder Singh (17) and Kashyap Prajapati added 34 off 41 balls for the first wicket, before the former was run out. Ryan Klein had the stand-in captain Aqib Ilyas soon after for four.

Oman were lucky to have lost only Prajapati (25), by the time they reached the 100-run mark in the 19th over, as the Dutch shelled a number of chances. Netherlands had their fourth success when Aryan Dutt cleaned up Mohammad Nadeem in the 20th over.

It was the fifth wicket partnership between Ayaan and Shoaib Khan which finally brought some energy to the Oman innings. Their stand reached its 50-run mark off 48 deliveries. Ayaan reached his half-century with a six in the 27th over. 

They lifted the Oman scoring rate by taking on the Netherlands’ part-time options. The team reached its 200 run-mark in the 34th over. The duo added 112 runs off 107 balls in what was Oman’s best stand in the tournament so far. Shoaib’s fall to an excellent stumping by Scott Edwards ended the partnership in the 38th over. However, despite their effort, the asking rate had risen to almost 15 an over and a Dutch win seemed only a formality.

Ayaan achieved the personal landmark of a maiden ODI hundred in the 41st over. The game was eventually called off in the 44th over due to bad light. 

Earlier in the day, Oman pacers Bilal Khan and Kaleemullah enjoyed bowling in overcast conditions and got the ball to zip around. The Dutch openers were tested in trying conditions but held their own till play was disrupted due to rain. The stoppage forced the game to be turned into a 48-over contest. 

On resumption, Netherlands went into all-out attack mode. Vikramjit Singh smashed three boundaries in Kaleemullah’s third over, whereas Max O’Dowd hit a six and four in his fourth. By the 10th over mark, the duo had gotten Netherlands to 52 without loss. Hereafter, Vikramjit kept his foot on the pedal and ensured that he got to his half-century in the 18th over. The century stand between the duo was also brought up with this run. 

O’Dowd, however, was troubled by the turn of Ayaan Khan. The opener eventually fell for 35 from 64 to the left-arm spinner. Vikramjit was then joined by Wesley Barresi and the duo kept going at over six runs an over. They added 80 runs from 72 balls. Vikramjit ended up getting to his maiden ODI hundred in the 31st over. 

The southpaw finally fell to an expansive loft which he played off Mohammad Nadeem. The ball was grasped by Fayyaz Butt at long-on. 

The 39-year-old Barresi remained impressive and led the Netherlands charge with a brisk fifty. It came off merely 43 balls and included four fours and two sixes. Along with the fiery Bas de Leede (39 off 19), he added 55 runs from 27 balls for the fourth wicket. Barresi didn’t relent even after de Leede was dismissed and scored runs all around the ground.

He added 57 from 26 with Saqib Zulfiqar (33 off 17), before falling painfully short of a deserving hundred on 97. 

Aqib Ilyas took captaincy reins for Oman today in the absence of Zeeshan Maqsood, out through injury and set to miss the rest of the tournament.

Ilyas elected to bowl after winning the toss, and announced Sandeep Goud as Zeeshan’s replacement, while also confirming a change in wicketkeepers, with Naseem Khushi making way for Suraj Kumar.

Edwards admitted he too would have bowled if given the chance, though felt the “game would not be defined” by the toss when speaking to Ian Bishop. The Dutch included left-arm spinner Clayton Floyd as their only change, coming in for leg-spinner Shariz Ahmad.

Source - ICC

-Agencies