"This is a travesty" - Aakash Chopra on the Netherlands not playing a single ODI until World Cup 2023 after qualifying for the event
Aakash Chopra has said that it is a travesty that the Netherlands are not scheduled to play any international cricket until World Cup 2023 despite qualifying for the event.
The quadrennial global ODI tournament will be staged in India from October 5 to November 19 later this year. Sri Lanka and the Netherlands will join the other eight previously qualified sides after finishing as the top two teams in the recently concluded qualification tournament in Zimbabwe.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised the Netherlands for making it through to the World Cup but questioned the authorities for their lack of cricket until the mega event:
"The Netherlands have qualified for the World Cup. This is a great story. No one felt they will qualify but they have done so. They sent the West Indies home, now they have sent Scotland also. So overall, the Netherlands have played really well."
The former Indian opener added:
"From now until the World Cup, the team is not playing a single international. This is a travesty that you have qualified for the World Cup, you will clash against nine other teams, you want to go shoulder to shoulder but you will not get to play a single international match for the next three months."
The Netherlands coach even requested the subcontinental teams to play his side at home to help them in getting acquainted with the conditions. He also invited sponsors who might want to get featured on their World Cup jerseys.
"Bas de Leede has given the most important performance in the Netherlands' cricket history" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra lauded Bas de Leede for giving an outstanding performance in the Netherlands' final Super Six game:
"Their story is that seven of their players were not even available for these qualifiers because they were playing county cricket. Bas de Leede, who I feel is one of the finest all-rounders in the world, left county cricket and came. Bas de Leede has given the most important performance in the Netherlands' cricket history."
Chopra highlighted that the Durham player single-handedly took his team to the World Cup with his all-round performance against Scotland:
"In the game which they had to win, they had to beat Scotland, there he picked up five wickets and scored a century. He single-handedly took the team ahead and then he went back to play county cricket, I think he plays for Durham."
De Leede registered figures of 5/52 in his 10 overs to help the Netherlands restrict Scotland to 277/9 after asking them to bat first. He then smoked 123 runs off 92 balls to unbelievably take his side to the World Cup, considering they were reduced to 163/5 in the 31st over in pursuit of the 278-run target in less than 44 overs to make the grade.