The Netherlands have pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and sent South Africa tumbling out of semi-final contention at the tournament with an impressive 13-run victory over the Proteas in Adelaide on Sunday.
There were heroes all round for the Netherlands, as they successfully defended their decent total of 158/4 by restricting the Proteas to just 145/8 in reply. Inexperienced seamer Brandon Glover (3/9) was superb with the ball, while 37-year-old veteran Roelof van der Merwe pulled in a contender for catch of the tournament to dismiss the dangerous David Miller.
Bas de Leede (2/25) also bowled well and it was the all-rounder that was entrusted to bowl the final over, with South Africa unable to score the 26 required from the last six deliveries to clinch victory. If South Africa though they would cruise through this semi-final match and waltz into the semi-finals they were badly mistaken as the Netherlands took it right up to their more fancied opponent throughout.
Keshav Maharaj (2/27) and Anrich Nortje (1/10) were in good touch with the ball, but some late hitting from Colin Ackermann (41 from just 26 deliveries) gave the Proteas a decent total to try and chase down. And that total proved too much, with no South Africa batters able to make it past 25 in reply as the Netherlands pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the T20 World Cup. There was also a superb grab taken in the crowd during the Netherlands innings.
Ackermann sent two into the stands to propel the Netherlands’ total past 150 in the final over of their innings and it was a volunteer at the ground that showed some magnificent poise to pull in an excellent one-hander. The victory by the Netherlands makes things even tighter in Group 2, with Pakistan and Bangladesh now moving into contention for a semi-final berth, with the winner of their clash later in the day in Adelade set to catapult past South Africa and into a top-two berth.
India will also be buoyed by Netherlands heroics, as Rohit Sharma’s side are automatically through to the final four as a result of the upset victory.
