5 Netherlands players to watch out for at T20 World Cup 2024 ft. Teja Nidamanuru
The eagerly anticipated T20 World Cup will kick off from June 1. For the first time since its inception in 2007, the tournament will feature twenty teams, which have been divided into four groups.
The tournament will provide an opportunity to the associate nations to rub shoulders with some of the very best and make a name for themselves.
The Netherlands, who hasve been an associate nation for a long time, will try and express themselves in the competition and will hope to spring a few upsets like they did in the fifty-over World Cup in India last year. They have some exciting players in their ranks and have beaten some of the elite sides before.
Under the captaincy of Scott Edwards, the Netherlands have developed into a competitive side which has the ability to challenge any top-class side in the tournament. They even defeated Sri Lanka in their first warm-up game and displayed their all-round skills.
With the tournament proper set to kick off in a couple of days time, let us have a look at five players from Netherlands who can make a difference:
# 1. Vikramjit Singh
One of the cleanest ball strikers in the Netherlands' team, Vikramjit Singh will be one of the players to watch out for. The top-order left-handed batter has the ability to destroy any bowling attack on his day and made some useful contributions during the recently concluded tri series also featuring Ireland and Scotland.
Vikramjit can mould his style of play according to the situation of the game. He is equally good against pacers and spinners alike. Vikramjit has also worked hard on playing the short balls which had been his nemesis on a few occasions.
The 21-year-old might not have a great T20 record to boast of, but he is still in the initial stages of his career and will be hoping to turn his fortunes around in the T20 World Cup. Netherlands will face Nepal in their first game on June 4.
# 2. Teja Nidamanuru
Another player of Indian descent, a lot will depend on Teja Nidamuru's form if Netherlands are to do well in the T20 World Cup. Nidamanuru showed his batting prowess in the biggest stage of the fifty-over World Cup in India last year. He scored a quickfire 48 off 24 deliveries against Sri Lanka in the warm-up game, paving the way for their victory.
In the recently concluded tri-series also featuring Ireland and Scotland, Nidamanuru showed glimpses of his ball-striking abilities. He can come anywhere in the batting order, and when on song can take apart any bowling attacks. Nidamanuru will play a pivotal role in the Netherlands' campaign in the World Cup.
# 3. Bas de Leede
Perhaps the most important player in the Netherlands team who provides them the ideal balance is none other than Bas de Leede. He can bowl with the new ball and with the old ball, having the ability to seam and swing the ball both ways.
He is an attacking bowler who will be an instrumental figure for Netherlands in the World Cup campaign. De Leede is also a fierce striker of the ball and has the skillset to change the complexion of the game with both bat and ball.
He has scored 677 runs in 34 T20Is so far, besides bagging a total of 30 wickets. De Leede bagged three wickets in the recently concluded tri-series and also chipped in with some useful knocks.
# 4. Paul van Meekeren
The fastest bowler from Netherlands, Paul van Meekeren has the ability to unsettle the opposition batting line-up with his skiddy nature and ability to generate rapid pace at any stage of the innings. He has quite a few slower deliveries up his sleeve, but is is his ability to run through a top class batting lineup which makes him special.
Meekeren has a terrific record in the shortest format of the game. The tall lanky speedster has played 61 T20Is for his nation and has picked up 69 wickets at an incredible average of 20.89. The economy rate of 7.03 also suggests the fact how good Meekeren has been in his T20I career.
# 5. Aryan Dutt
Another player who provides the much-needed balance in the spin bowling department is Aryan Dutt. He can start in the powerplay, bowl in the middle overs and also in the death if required.
Dutt also displayed his abilities to usethe long handle in the fifty-over World Cup in India. He is a clean striker of the ball and can tonk a few towards the latter half of the innings.
A handy off spinner who generally doesn't turn the ball much, he relies more on his subtle changes of pace and height to make the difference. Dutt doesn't have too much experience in the shortest format, having played only 11 games so far. However, the T20 World Cup could turn out to be his breakthrough competition.