3 things to look forward to in India's 2023 World Cup clash against Netherlands
Team India will face off against the Netherlands in the final game of the league stage of the 2023 World Cup at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday, November 12.
The Men in Blue have already booked their place in the semifinals of the tournament, where they will face New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, November 15. They will look to finetune their preparation with a win over the holders of the wooden spoon.
While the contest isn't of much significance to India, they are bound to continue to thrill fans with their entertaining displays. Action is always guaranteed when a team like the hosts, stacked with world-class performers in all departments, take to the field.
Here are three things to look forward to in India's 2023 World Cup match against the Netherlands.
#3 The Netherlands will need to play aggressively to secure Champions Trophy qualification
The Netherlands have recorded only two wins so far in the 2023 World Cup and were one of the first teams to be eliminated from semifinal contention. Yet, they come into this clash with something to play for.
The Netherlands will, no doubt, want to play aggressively and somehow secure a path to the 2025 Champions Trophy. They need a win to pull level with England, who are on six points, and also need to boost their net run rate significantly.
Scott Edwards and his men won't go down without a fight, making for compelling viewing on Sunday.
#2 How will the Dutch bowlers counter Rohit Sharma?
Rohit Sharma has been on a rampage throughout the 2023 World Cup, carting opposition bowlers to all corners of the park in the powerplay. How will the Dutch bowlers counter the in-form opener?
The Netherlands have opened the bowling with Logan van Beek and Aryan Dutt for the most part in the tournament, but that might not be a very wise decision against Rohit. The Indian skipper is bound to be severe on off-spin, and Van Beek has been a touch expensive as well.
Rohit has provided plenty of entertaining moments in the competition and could add to that highlight reel with a blitz in Bengaluru.
#1 Could Virat Kohli get #50 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium?
This will be the biggest talking point ahead of the India vs Netherlands clash on Sunday. Virat Kohli, who scored a record-equaling 49th ODI century against South Africa a week ago, will look to pull clear of Sachin Tendulkar.
Kohli doesn't have a great ODI record in Bengaluru, averaging less than 30, but he will want to set the record straight and get the proverbial monkey off his back ahead of India's high-octane semifinal matchup against New Zealand. And in the Netherlands, he has an excellent opposition to achieve the feat against.
The Bengaluru crowd is bound to vociferously cheer Kohli on, and the batter cannot be written off as he attempts to become the most prolific century maker in ODI history.