Afghanistan gamers through the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 match between Netherlands and Afghanistan, at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Sybrand Engelbrecht struck a gritty half-century however did not push the Netherlands to a aggressive complete as Afghanistan bowled them out for 179 in a World Cup match in Lucknow on Friday.
Engelbrecht (58 off 86) anchored Netherlands’ innings after the Dutch suffered a mid-innings collapse. This was after Max O’Dowd (42 off 40) and Colin Ackermann (29) shared an attacking 70-run stand off 64 balls for the second wicket after electing to bat.
Netherlands misplaced Wesley Barresi, who changed Vikramjit Singh, in the fifth ball of the innings, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman catching him plumb in entrance of the wicket.
O’Dowd and Ackermann steadied the Dutch ship earlier than Netherlands suffered a dramatic middle-order collapse.
Three run outs jolted Netherlands’ surge as from 73 for one they slumped to 92 for 5, shedding half the aspect inside 20 overs.
Poor judgement whereas operating between the wickets and a few good fielding from the Afghans destabilised the Dutchmen.
A set O’Dowd fell sufferer to an pointless run out, caught inches brief of the crease by Azamatullah Omarzai’s direct hit from the deep in search of a double. O’Dowd struck 9 boundaries throughout his knock.
Just a few overs later, it was Ackermann who was run out on the keeper’s finish whereas going for a non-existent single.
Netherlands’ slide continued as wickets fell like 9 pins with wicket-keeper Ikram Alikhil concerned in 4 dismissals.
Bas de Leede first edged one to Alikhil off off-spinner Mohammad Nabi after which few overs later the Afghan glovesman pounced on one other sensible nick off Noor Ahmad to ship Saqib Zulfiqar again into the dressing room.
Alikhil then effected a stumping off Nabi to dismiss Logan van Beek.
The put on and tear of Lucknow pitch favoured the Afghan spinners — Nabi (3/28), Noor Ahmad (2/31) and Mujeeb (1/40).
