"They know how to fight and compete and fight till the end" - Aakash Chopra on Netherlands ahead of 2024 T20 World Cup clash vs Bangladesh
Aakash Chopra has warned Bangladesh against taking the Netherlands lightly in their 2024 T20 World Cup clash in Kingstown on Thursday, June 13. He noted that the Dutch are known for their never-say-die attitude.
The Netherlands and Bangladesh are potentially competing for the second Super Eight berth from Group D. South Africa have already sealed a spot in the next stage from the group.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Bangladesh might be wary of the Netherlands.
"If we see the Netherlands, this is also a team that punches above their weight. They played very well in the ODI World Cup. Bas de Leede is my favorite player and they have many others also. They have Paul van Meekeren and Max O'Dowd. They are a very decent team," he reasoned (10:30).
"You cannot take them lightly. I am saying the scales are slightly tilted towards Bangladesh but it's not guaranteed that they will play and win because the Netherlands play a very good brand of cricket. They know how to fight and compete and fight till the end. So you will have to be slightly wary of them," the former India opener added.
Scott Edwards and company registered a six-wicket win against Nepal in their T20 World Cup opener. They had South Africa in trouble in their second game before David Miller's unbeaten 59 took the Proteas to a four-wicket win with seven balls to spare.
"This is make or break" - Aakash Chopra on the significance of the Bangladesh vs Netherlands clash
Aakash Chopra noted that both sides are in a virtual must-win situation in Thursday's game.
"Bangladesh can actually qualify if they win this game. They have won one and lost one in their two games. They lost to South Africa and defeated Sri Lanka. If you beat the Netherlands, you will have a match against Nepal left. So this is make or break as the Netherlands have already defeated Nepal," he said (9:30).
The renowned commentator added that Bangladesh will expect Najmul Hossain Shanto, Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan to rise to the occasion in the crunch game.
"If the Netherlands win this match, they will reach four points. Sri Lanka are already eliminated but this match is very important to decide which will be the second team to qualify. You will expect runs from Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das, and for Shakib Al Hasan to come in some form," Chopra stated.
A win for either team won't seal their berth in the Super Eights. However, it will put them in prime position to make the grade heading into their respective final group games, where Bangladesh will face Nepal and the Netherlands will square off against Sri Lanka.