ICC World Cup T20: Netherlands stun Ireland; chase down 189 in 13.5 overs to qualify for Super 10

Wesley Barresi of Netherlands and Ben Cooper of Netherlands celebrate after winning the ICC T20 World Cup match between Ireland and Netherlands at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on March 21, 2014 in Sylhet, Bangladesh.

Needing to chase down an improbable 190 runs in 14.2 overs to qualify for the Super 10 stage of the T20 World Cup, the Netherlands batsmen put on one of the most stunning big-hitting show you will ever see at the Sylhet Stadium in Bangladesh, to pull off an incredible 6-wicket victory with 37 balls to spare: an effort that sealed their team’s place in the main event quite comfortably. The ease with which they did was frightening to say the least.

Undaunted by the task in hand, the Dutch openers Peter Borren and Stephan Myburgh started the onslaught. By the time Borren was dismissed for a 15-ball 31, he had taken his team to 91 in 6 overs. It was more than just an intent: a statement. The look on the Ireland bowlers, including their captain, showed it all. They couldn’t believe what was happening to them. The wicket of Borren did not prove to be a solace, neither did the one of Logan van Beek for just a solitary run. Myburgh (63 off 23) continued the destruction and was accompanied by Tom Cooper (45 off 15), who took it a whole new level by smashing four consecutive sixes of George Dockrell.

Wesley Barresi (40* off 22), in the company of Ben Cooper, saw his team the way through, despite the wickets of Tom and Myburgh, with a six in 13.5 overs. None of the Ireland bowlers were spared.

Earlier in the day, after being put into bat first by the Netherlands captain Borren, Ireland got off to a steady start despite the early dismissal of their key batsman Paul Stirling, with the usually sedate William Porterfield leading the way with a 32-ball 47. The dismissals of Porterfield and Ed Joyce (28 off 25) in quick successions put the Irish on the back foot, with the score at 88-3 in 12.3 overs. The 4th wicket pair of Andrew Poynter (57 off 38) and Kevin O’ Brien (42 off 16), though, went absolutely berserk by putting together a 101-run in the next 7.3 overs to set the Dutch an imposing target of 190.

Despite the carnage, Ahsan Malik, who accounted for Porterfield and Poynter, continued his spectacular run of form, with his figures reading 4-0-26-2.

Netherlands will now join South Africa, Sri Lanka, England and New Zealand in Group A. It would be fair to say England are in a spot of bother, again. They have been at the receiving end before in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup, and, with the quality of hitting that was on show today and the state of English cricket, who knows what can happen when they meet against each other.