Netherlands vs Nepal: The Unmissable T20 World Cup Clash
The Netherlands and Nepal are set to face off in a crucial T20 World Cup match, where both teams will be vying for a win to keep their tournament hopes alive.
With their head-to-head record almost even and stronger teams in their group, neither side can afford a loss in this game.
Match Details
- Teams: Netherlands vs Nepal
- Venue: Dallas
- Time: 10:30 am local time
Big Picture: Netherlands Slight Favorites
Group D of the T20 World Cup is widely regarded as one of the “groups of death,” and this match is pivotal for both teams. Although the Netherlands and Nepal are the lower-ranked teams in their group, the Dutch have a history of outperforming expectations at World Cups.
Head-to-Head Record
The Netherlands lead the T20I head-to-head with a 6-5 record against Nepal. In their recent triangular series in Kirtipur earlier this year, the teams were evenly matched, with both winning one game each before the Netherlands clinched a narrow victory in the final.
Form Guide
- Netherlands: LLLWW (most recent first)
- Nepal: LLWWW
Key Players to Watch
Michael Levitt (Netherlands): The 19-year-old sensation has made a significant impact since his debut, scoring 349 runs in eight T20I innings at an average of 43.62 and a strike rate of 156.50. His explosive 135 off 62 balls against Namibia and recent form make him a player to watch.
Dipendra Singh Airee (Nepal): Known for his record-breaking fastest T20I fifty off just nine balls, Airee is Nepal’s highest run-getter in T20Is. His ability to change the game, as demonstrated in a close match against the Netherlands earlier this year, makes him a crucial player.
Team News
Netherlands:
- Likely XI: Max O’Dowd, Michael Levitt, Vikramjit Singh, Scott Edwards (capt & wk), Teja Nidamanuru, Bas de Leede, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren, Vivian Kingma.
Nepal:
- Likely XI: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Anil Sah, Kushal Malla, Rohit Paudel (capt), Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Lalit Rajbanshi, Abinash Bohara/Sagar Dhakal.
Pitch and Conditions
This World Cup began in Dallas, and it did it with a bang, as the United States chased down 195 with 14 balls left. In that game, twenty-one sixes were struck, ten of them off the bat of Aaron Jones, who scored an undefeated 94 off 40 balls to win the match. If the current circumstances continue, get ready for more heavy blows.
Nevertheless, there is a 20% chance of precipitation predicted for Tuesday, and Dallas has been having stormy weather leading up to the game, raising the possibility of rain.
Stats and Trivia
The lone survivor of Nepal’s 2014 T20 World Cup appearance is Sompal Kami. In that tournament, the seam-bowling all-rounder, who was eighteen at the time, made his T20I debut, going two for thirteen in an eighty-run victory over Hong Kong.
Kushal Malla struck a 34-ball century in the same match when Airee established the record for the fastest T20I fifty, setting a T20I record at the time. Since then, the record has been shattered, with Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton of Namibia smashing a 34-ball century against Nepal in February.
With 500 runs or more in T20Is, Malla’s strike rate (167.24) is the fourth-highest of all batters. Suryakumar Yadav (171.55) is the only hitter from a squad participating in this competition who is ahead of him.
Logan van Beek, who competed in the 2014, 2016, 2021, and 2022 T20 World Cups, is playing in his fifth tournament.
Quotes
“We’ve recently played against the Nepali squad, so we know them really well. However, we’ve also just participated in the qualifications and the 50-over World Cup against South Africa, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Really excited about our bunch, and I have no doubt there will be a lot of shoving among us.”
