NED VS NEP MATCH 14

That's all from this game. It is the Netherlands who have registered a comprehensive victory. With this win, they have sealed a spot in the Super Six of the competition. On the other hand, Nepal have suffered their third straight defeat and now have nothing but pride to play for in the tournament. The 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers action continues on Sunday, the 25th of June as well with two games in store. It will be Sri Lanka taking on Ireland and Scotland will lock horns with Oman. Both games will begin at 12.30 pm IST (7.00 am GMT). As always you can join us early for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!

Scott Edwards, the captain of the Netherlands, says that everybody is delighted with a victory. Adds that the team has achieved its first challenge and is looking towards the second huddle which would be Super Six. Adds that the bowlers have been amazing throughout and the batting of Max O'Dowd today was superb as it took the sting out of the run chase. Closes by saying that the team will continue to play a positive brand of cricket as it is working well for the side.

Rohit Paudel, the skipper of Nepal, says the team was a bit short with the total and the wicket was not that challenging. Adds that they could not adjust as per the conditions. Mentions that batters did get starts but failed to capitalize. Reckons that the team fell a lot short of what the team planned for. Adds that this defeat comes with a lot of learning lessons and what are the areas that need to be improved.

Max O'Dowd is the Player of the Match for his brilliant knock of 90 runs from 75 balls.  He says that he is obviously disappointed on missing out on a century but says that if it means the team wins then would love it every game. Adds that he just kept on playing the ball on it's merit and did not pre-meditate anything. Shares that he took a few sweeping lessons from Scott Edwards and that worked out well today.

Time for the presentations...

Earlier in the game, as has been the story of the competition, Scott Edwards had no hesitation in bowling first after winning the toss. His two quicks Logan van Beek and Ryan Klein had the Nepal batters on their toes right from ball one. The Dutch bowlers kept troubling the Nepal batters by bowling short and were rewarded with wickets at regular intervals. Spinners came to the party as well to pile more misery on Nepal. For the Asian side, the skipper Rohit Paudel fought hard but did not find support at the other end. Gulsan Jha and Sandeep Lamichhane did stand firm but once this partnership was broken, the tail was not able to wag. Logan van Beek was the star with the ball for the Netherlands with four wickets.

With not a huge total to defend, skipper Rohit Paudel started with spin in his quest for early breakthroughs. Moreover, he kept rotating his bowlers to not allow the Dutch openers to settle in. That said, the Nepal bowlers were unable to keep it tight and conceded boundaries here and there. Nepal did sense an opening after Sandeep Lamichhane's twin strikes but they were unable to keep the pressure on the Dutch batters. Towards the end, Gulsan Jha did manage to dismiss Max O'Dowd and deny him a hundred but it was nothing more than a consolation for the Asian side. Despite the loss, Sandeep Lamichhane was the positive for Nepal with figures of 2 for 60 from his ten overs.

The Netherlands are through to the Super Six of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers! They have done it in a canter here and have knocked Nepal out of contention! In their pursuit of 168 runs, the Dutch opening pair of Max O'Dowd and Vikramjit Singh got their side off to a solid start. The former was quick to get off the blocks while his partner took his time but started finding boundaries once he got his eye in. The openers accumulated 58 runs in the Powerplay and laid a solid foundation for the Dutch innings. The Netherlands did lose Vikramjit Singh and Wesley Barresi in the space of two overs but Max O'Dowd carried on his merry way. He got together with Bas de Leede and strung a 62-run partnership to put his side in firm control. Max O'Dowd fell 10 runs short of what would have been a brilliant hundred but he will be more pleased that he was able to play an important role in the team's win.

THAT'S A WRAP. Short-pitched delivery around off, Teja Nidamanuru hops back and pulls this to the deep mid-wicket region. The ball reaches the fence but they ran the single before it touched the ropes so the Netherlands win with a single.

On a length around off, Bas de Leede defends this near the stumps for no run.

FOUR! The scorers are level and the Dutch need just 1 to win this game. Short-pitched delivery in middle, Bas de Leede pulls this towards fine leg and finds the fence.

On a length in middle, Bas de Leede pushes this to mid-wicket for no run.

FOUR! Gorgeous stroke for four. Over-pitched on off, Bas de Leede presents full face of his bat and drives this straight down the ground past the mid off fielder fro a boundary.

Short-pitched delivery outside off, Teja Nidamanuru taps this to third man for a single.

Teja Nidamanuru is the new man in.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Max O'Dowd falls short of his century as his stumps have been broken. On a length in middle, Max O'Dowd looks to defend this but gets beaten by the inward shape on it. The ball hits the top of middle as the stump goes for a cartwheel.