3 Netherlands players who could pose a big threat to Pakistan in today's 2023 World Cup match ft. Bas de Leede
The Netherlands defied the odds to make it to the 2023 ODI World Cup following their showings in the qualifiers back in June. The Scott Edwards-led side may not come across as a certified strong team, but the Dutch definitely have the ingredients to stir things up and make a statement.
Their first test will be a huge one in the form of Pakistan at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday. It is to be noted that while other sides have been ticking their boxes and trying out combinations in the lead-up to the World Cup, the Netherlands were inactive as a team.
The qualifier final against Sri Lanka was the last international contest that the team played. To make matters worse, both of their ODI World Cup warm-up matches were severely affected by rain. They played against Australia in a rain-curtailed contest, while their scheduled clash against India was entirely washed out in Thiruvananthapuram.
To make up for their lack of cricketing action post the qualifiers, the Dutch did make their way to the subcontinent well earlier than other teams and were involved in a lengthy training camp in Alur.
The Netherlands have faced Pakistan six times in ODI cricket, with two of them coming in the ODI World Cup. Their last meeting in the competition came during the 2003 edition, where the Men in Green won by 97 runs.
It's suffice to say, the Netherlands will have to conjure up a special performance if they wish to record their first win over Pakistan. Babar Azam and company will also not be dismissing their opposition by any means.
On that note, let us take a look at Netherlands players who could pose a big threat to Pakistan in today's 2023 World Cup match.
#1 Bas de Leede
The 23-year-old is among the best players in the national side already and is on a meteoric rise to be in the pool of the top all-rounders in the world. Capable of bowling with the new ball and the old, coupled with his batting talent at No. 4, makes Bas de Leede one of the players to watch out for in the tournament.
He had a landmark qualifiers campaign in Zimbabwe earlier this year, and his performances played a massive hand in the Netherlands winning a place in the league stage of the 2023 ODI World Cup.
The all-rounder scored 285 runs in seven matches at an average of 47.50, and he was the third-highest wicket-taker with 15 scalps to his name at an economy of 5.65.
Bas de Leede will have a vital role to play with both bat and ball if the Netherlands wish to inflict some serious damage and issue an early statement. He was one of the positives for the Dutch in their 0-3 ODI series loss to Pakistan in 2022.
He scored 89 runs in the second ODI and also notched up five wickets across the series.
#2 Roelof van der Merwe
The former South African player has been a valuable asset to the Dutch ever since his switch in 2015. Roelof van der Merwe's experience will be extremely valuable for the team given the magnitude of the occasion. Moreover, he will definitely be in the game as a left-arm spinner in subcontinent conditions.
The likes of Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra showcased their impact in the opening game, and it will be something that the all-rounder might look to cash on.
Van der Merwe has had some valuable game time under his belt, having partaken in the 2023 Hundred in England for the Welsh Fire as well as the 2023 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for the Barbados Royals.
There have been some controversial opinions stretching to either side of the spectrum regarding Babar Azam's ability to play quality spin bowling. As a result, the Pakistan skipper's match-up against van der Merwe comes across as an exciting one.
#3 Vikramjit Singh
The Indian-born opening batter has been a consistent feature for the Netherlands at the top of the order since making his ODI debut in 2022. The 20-year-old has played 25 ODIs to date, scoring 808 runs at an average of 32.32.
Vikramjit Singh has a good record against Pakistan as well. In the three ODIs that he has played against them, he has registered two fifties. He also scored a fifty and a hundred in the Netherlands' qualifiers campaign and was the team's leading run-scorer.
The youngster is bound to face a hard time against Shaheen Afridi's new ball exploits, but if he manages to survive past that, the situation could turn out to be different.
Will the Netherlands step up with a performance for the ages to cause a major upset early on in the 2023 ODI World Cup? Let us know what you think.