The Netherlands had a forgettable T20 World Cup 2021. In the qualifiers, they were completely outplayed by Ireland, Sri Lanka, and Namibia. The team looked as if they were not ready for the event. Since the conclusion of the last edition, the Dutch have played a handful of 7 T20Is and won 4 out of them.
Squad: Scott Edwards (c), Colin Ackermann, Shariz Ahamd, Logan van Beek, Tom Cooper, Brandon Glover, Timm van der Gugten, Fred Klaassen, Bas de Leede, Paul van Meekeren, Roelof van der Merwe, Stephan Myburgh, Teja Nidamanuru, Max O’ Dowd, Tim Pringle, Vikram Singh
Strengths
The Netherlands has got a lot of power hitters present in their squad. The likes of Max O’Dowd and Tom Cooper can easily clear the fence. The return of Roelof van der Merwe is a huge boost to the team. The all-rounder is vastly experienced as he knows how to contain the batters with his shrewd variations.
Weaknesses
There’s no doubt that the Netherlands looks like a powerful unit on paper; but when they lose a couple of wickets upfront, they panic. The batters are not playing according to their credentials. Due to this, all the hard work of the bowlers is going in vain.
Fixtures
16th October: Netherlands vs United Arab Emirates at Geelong at 13:30 IST
18th October: Netherlands vs Namibia at Geelong at 09:30 IST
20th October: Netherlands vs Sri Lanka at Geelong at 09:30 IST
Chances
The Dutch have a better chance to qualify for the tournament this time. They have got fast bowlers who can change the dynamics of the match. They should not repeat the mistake of taking UAE lightly as that opening game will decide their fate.
The Netherlands would be aware of the tactics of Sri Lanka and Namibia. The problem with the Netherlands is that they don’t peak at the right time. It would be interesting to see how what strategy Head Coach Ryan Campbell applies after a disastrous T20 World Cup 2021.
Also Read: Underdogs UAE Look To Spoil Party