Cricket Highlights, 09 Nov: ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 (Match 40) – England vs Netherlands: England beat the Netherlands to stay in the Champions Trophy race.

England vs Netherlands (Match 40) – Highlights

England was knocked out of World Cup 2023 long ago after losing six out of seven matches. Being at the bottom of the points table, there was concern about getting a chance to participate in the Champions Trophy 2025. However, the English keeps their hopes alive by defeating the Netherlands by a large margin. The English will get one more chance to decide their fate.

England defeated the Dutch by a colossal margin of 160 runs in the 40th match of the World Cup in Pune on Wednesday (November 8). Chasing 340 runs, Scott Edwards’s team stopped at 179 runs after losing all wickets in 37.2 overs after Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid’s spin turbo. Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid seized the maximum number of 3 wickets each for England. Besides, David Willey took 2 wickets and Chris Woakes took 1 wicket.

Both teams have been eliminated from the current World Cup. But still winning the match was equally important for England and the Netherlands. Because if you can’t finish the season in the top eight, you will lose the opportunity to play in the Champions Trophy 2025.

In such an equation, the Netherlands lost 2 wickets within 13 runs to chase the big target of 340 runs given by the English. Max ODowd scored 5 runs off 11 balls and Colin Ackermann returned to the dressing room before he could add any runs to the scoresheet. Then Wesley Barresi and Sybrand Engelbrecht tried to hook up. But the Dutch lost their third wicket for 68 when Barresi was a victim by Willey on 37 playing 62 balls.

Edwards and Engelbrecht made a partnership of 32 runs in the 4th wicket. Engelbrecht returned to the pavilion after being the victim of Willey with 33 runs from 49 balls. Then Bas de Leede (10) was bowled by Rashid’s spin. Teja Nidamanuru accompanied Edwards for the sixth wicket. But when captain Edwards got out with 38 runs in 42 balls for the team’s 163 runs, no one else could take the helm of the team.

However, Nidamanuru was unbeaten at the crease after sticking on one end. But in the whirlwind of Rashid and Moeen, Logan van Beek (2), Roelof van der Merwe (0), Aryan Dutt (1), and Paul van Meekeren (4) all made their way to the dressing room one by one. Nidamanuru was unbeaten with 41 runs off 34 balls hitting 3 sixes and 2 fours.

Earlier, after winning the toss and batting first, Ben Stokes’ century and Dawid Malan, and Woakes’ fifties at the end of the 50 overs determined England got a big collection of 339 runs after losing 9 wickets. Stokes’ 108-run innings off 84-ball, which is the first century of his World Cup career, was decorated with an equal number of 6 sixes and fours.

In addition, Malan left the field after scoring 87 runs in 74 balls, with 10 fours and 2 sixes. And Woakes scored 51 runs off 45 balls. Bas de Leede took the highest number of 3 wickets for the Dutch. Besides, Aryan Dutt and Logan van Beek took 2 wickets each and Paul van Meekeren took 1 wicket.

Meanwhile, defending champion England got their second victory after five consecutive losses in the current World Cup. They have moved up three steps in the points table. They have 4 points after 8 matches. With an equal number of points playing the same number of matches, Bangladesh is eighth, Sri Lanka is ninth and the Netherlands is tenth as they are lagging in net run rate.

All four teams have a chance to secure a ticket to the 2025 Champions Trophy from the top eight. That’s why the season must finish in the top eight for the teams. There is one more match in hand for all the teams.

England vs Netherlands Scoreboard

England – 339/9 (50.0)

Netherlands – 179/10 (37.2)

Result – England won by 160 runs

Player of the match – Ben Stokes

England

England vs Netherlands Playing XIs