England captain keeps selection doors open ahead of T20 World Cup
The English summer begins with the 50-over Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy on Saturday, giving domestic players the chance to play themselves into the plans for the T20 World Cup squad.
Netherlands registered a seven-wicket win over USA in the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier B on Friday and booked their place in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.
It was a dream start for the USA, who were hoping to make their first global ICC tournament. The in-form Steven Taylor and skipper Monank Patel laid a solid foundation with a 51-run opening stand in just five overs.
Paul van Meekeren drew the first blood for the Netherlands with an all-important wicket of Taylor, who fell for 26 – his lowest score in the tournament so far. Unfortunately for the USA, the wicket triggered a collapse.
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Monank was the next batter to fall, getting caught off Shariz Ahmad, for a well-made 15-ball 32. Aaron Jones (15), Jaskaran Malhotra (12) and Nisarg Patel (28) were the only other batters to have scored runs in double digits as the pressure got the better of the USA line-up.
Netherlands fought back well and had the USA bowled out in 19.4 overs for 138.
Chasing 139, the Netherlands got off to a shaky start, having lost their opener Stephan Myburgh for a duck to Saurabh Netravalkar. After the early hiccup, Max O’Dowd and Bas de Leede batted with caution.
In the last over of the Powerplay, they shifted gears with three boundaries, finishing the first six overs on 53/1. The Dutch lost two wickets in back-to-back overs, but de Leede continued to lead the attack as he brought up a crucial fifty from 33 balls.
Leede lost Max O’Dowd (16) and Tom Cooper (1) in quick succession thereafter, but he held firm, putting on an important partnership with captain Scott Edwards to see the side through to a second consecutive ICC Men’s T20 World Cup appearance
(Inputs from ANI)
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