by: Atika Mehboob TN Sports Pakistan:
New Zealand’s innings began slowly with three consecutive maidens but gained momentum towards the end, thanks to an explosive performance by Tom Latham, Mitchell Santner, and Matt Henry, helping them reach 322. The Netherlands struggled during their chase, settling for 223, enhancing New Zealand’s leading position after two consecutive wins.
Santner, the Player-of-the-Match, played a pivotal role, scoring a quick 36 off 17 balls and then taking 5 wickets for 59 runs. He made history by becoming the first New Zealander spinner to claim five wickets in a men’s ODI World Cup. Santner’s variation in pace, especially on a spin-friendly wicket, was notable. A key moment was his dismissal of Scott Edwards, the Netherlands captain, dashing their hopes of an upset.
New Zealand had faced challenges, especially when they lost three wickets quickly during the death overs. However, Latham’s resilience was evident. From a slow start, he managed to score 53 off 46 balls, even when the pitch seemed difficult for other batsmen.
Aryan Dutt’s wicket of Mark Chapman in the 45th over briefly gave the Netherlands a glimmer of hope. Earlier, Will Young and Rachin Ravindra contributed significant half-centuries, with a 77-run partnership. The New Zealand innings were characterised by consistent partnerships rather than a single dominant stand.
Before and after Young and Ravindra’s partnership, there were notable contributions. Devon Conway and Young opened with a 67-run stand, while Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell added a brisk 41 runs. Ravindra’s performance, following his career-best 123* against England, was remarkable. A significant moment was when the Netherlands missed an lbw opportunity against him, and Mitchell got a reprieve two balls later.
Mitchell’s 48 was adorned with powerful hits, while Young’s innings emerged as a relief for New Zealand, especially after his lukewarm performance leading to the World Cup. Young’s innings, despite its slow start, set the tone for New Zealand’s batting.
The Netherlands’ chase was only briefly promising when Ackermann and Teja Nidamanuru established a 50-run partnership. However, a late call from Ackermann resulted in Nidamanuru’s run-out. Besides Ackermann, who scored a steady 69, the Netherlands’ top order managed starts but couldn’t capitalise beyond Edwards’ 30.
