![Netharlands start their T20 World Cup vs Pakistan on February 7 [Source: kaustats/X.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1770356355883_NetherlandsT20WorldCup.jpg?type=hq)
Netharlands start their T20 World Cup vs Pakistan on February 7 [Source: kaustats/X.com]
The Netherlands are back in the T20 World Cup for the sixth successive edition since 2014 and are set to take on Pakistan in their tournament opener at the Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo, on February 7, at 11 am (IST).
Like the last edition, wicketkeeper batter Scott Edwards will once again be captaining the Dutch. He will be alongside some seasoned campaigners like Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek and Max O'Dowd, among others, who have been to the sub-continent before for multiple ICC events.
Netherlands vs Pakistan Preview
The Men in Orange also have their task cut out for the competition as they have been grouped alongside defending champions India and 2009 winner Pakistan in Group A. The USA and Namibia are the two associate nations capping off the group.
Their first opponent, Pakistan, have announced a boycott of the India match and every match for them will be a virtual knockout. Having defeated the likes of South Africa and Bangladesh during the 2023 World Cup in India, the Dutch would like to believe that they would be able to replicate this against the Asian giants as well.
As the Dutch look to dampen Pakistan's spirits early in the tournament, we explore their best playing XI for the match.
Netherlands Playing XI vs Pakistan - Match 1
Top-order batters: Max O'Dowd, Michael Levitt, Colin Ackerman
Right-handed opening batter Max O'Dowd has been their star opener for a long time and is also their leading run-scorer in the T20 World Cups. In 15 outings, he has scored 444 runs with five fifties to his name. He was also the highest-scorer in the European Qualifiers with 204 runs, striking at 134.21.
The second opener will be the young Michael Levitt, who has been impressive in his short career, scoring 866 runs in 25 T20I innings at a strike rate of 142.20. Levitt can also bowl occasional medium pace. The experienced Colin Ackerman will cap off the top-order with an experience of over 200 T20s, scoring 4615 runs and as an extra off-spin option in Sri Lanka.
Ackerman has previously played 11 T20 World Cup games in 2021 and 2022 and has scored 222 runs with a fifty to his name.
Middle-order batters: Scott Edwards (c) (wk), Noah Croes, Bas de Leede, Zach Lion-Cachet
The Netherlands play with a flexible batting lineup, with the captain Edwards capable of batting between 3 and 5. He has played 15 T20 World Cup matches so far and has 191 runs — a record he would like to improve. Apart from that, he has 1126 T20I runs in 73 innings and was just behind O'Dowd in the qualifying campaign, scoring 146 runs at a strike rate of 124.78.
As it was evident in their practice match against Zimbabwe, Noah Croes and Zach Lion-Cachet are expected to slot in the middle-order. The duo will be followed by the marquee all-rounder of this team, Bas de Leede, who can bat anywhere in 3 to 7 as a floater according to the team's requirements.
The feature of this middle order is that two of these four players can bowl a full quota of four overs. de Leede's medium pace has won them matches with the ball in the past, while Lion-Cachet's off-spin will be crucial in the sub-continent.
Bowlers: Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren/Fred Klaassen
At number 8 will be the ever-present Roelof van der Merwe, who has been around since 2009 and is their 2nd highest T20I wicket-taker with 60 scalps. He can also add crucial runs down the order at a healthy strike rate of around 130, as his T20 record suggests.
Next will be Logan van Beek, who showed his all-round brilliance in the warm-up game against Zimbabwe, scoring 40* (31) and picking 3/22 (3). From what was seen in the warm-ups, he will also be their second seamer with experience of playing 20 matches across the last five T20 World Cups.
The off-spinner Aryan Dutt will play second fiddle to van der Merwe, with his tight bowling. He boasts an economy rate of just 6.94 in T20Is and under 5 in ODIs, making him a pick at number 10.
The Dutch have a big fast bowling group, consisting of Fred Klaassen, who recently returned from a long injury layoff, Paul van Meekeren, Kyle Klein and Timm van der Gugten. However, it looks like either van Meekeren or Fred Klaassen would start the tournament due to their experience.
Paul van Meekeren has 84 T20I wickets (the most for NED) in 77 innings, van der Gugten has 52 in 49 matches, followed by Klaassen's 43 in 39 matches and youngster Kyle Klein's 28 in 17 matches.
The Netherlands Playing XI vs Pakistan- Max O'Dowd, Michael Levitt, Colin Ackerman, Scott Edwards (c) (wk), Noah Croes, Bas de Leede, Zack Lion-Cachet, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren/Fred Klaassen.
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