Cricket is a sport that comes with many surprises, and the one the Netherlands presented us with in their opening match from the 2022 T20 World Cup was one for the ages. Going up against their former colony, they punched miles above their apparent weight and shocked South Africa into submission. This year, however, the Proteas will not be taking the Flying Dutchmen lightly, so the battle will be one fueled by both revenge and the determination to prove oneself.
The Netherlands have lost the last three of their games coming into this tournament, and lost them to far worse teams than South Africa on paper (Ireland and Scotland). This will undoubtedly cause a decrease in morale, and the team will need to muster every ounce of self-belief it can in order to beat a South Africa side hell bent on proving that their previous defeat was a fluke.
The Proteas, meanwhile, had an awful run of form coming into this tournament, being whitewashed in a series against the West Indies away in the Caribbean. The fact that that recent bilateral was the only time their team had played a T20 this year until their win against Sri Lanka is another matter of concern. Nevertheless, if they can bring their A game they should win with ease.
Without further ado, then, here are the team previews and predicted XIs.
South Africa Team Preview
As mentioned before, South Africa’s recent form hasn’t been solid. However, their victory over plucky South Asian side Sri Lanka should give them plenty of confidence. It wasn’t as easy a win as it may look on paper, but it would be a stretch to call it difficult.
Taking advantage of an extremely difficult two-paced pitch with somewhat uneven bounce, the Proteas started strong with the ball and had the Lankan top order on the ropes in terms of run rate before bulldozing them back to the Pavilion. What was 31-1 after 7.4 overs rapidly devolved to 40-5 within just 14 deliveries, and by the time innings ended, Sri Lanka had only managed to crawl to a pitiful 77 all out.
Initially, it looked as though the Proteas would make short work of the chase, but once they took to the crease, the difficulty of the surface was truly established. Even the ever-aggressive Quinton de Kock, the highest scorer in the game, could barely muster a 20 as the Proteas limped to a 6-wicket win in the 17th over.
QdK’s form will play a major role in his team’s fortunes at the tournament, and given that he will almost certainly retire from international cricket after this tournament, he has a statement to make. Reeza Hendricks and David Miller are also nearing retirement age, and would look to leave an indelible mark on the pages of South African cricket. Meanwhile, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj ,and especially Anrich Nortje will be pumped up by today’s match and ready to face their next challenge with confidence.
Predicted XI: Aiden Markram (c), Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock,
Netherlands Team Preview
It’s not easy to lose to your regional rivals, especially when you’ve beaten them on some historic occasions. The Netherlands’ losses to Ireland and Scotland, followed by finishing at the bottom of the table at a tri-series at home will undoubtedly have left a sour taste in the players’ mouths. To add insult to injury, those losses included an instance of getting bowled out for just 87 against a Scotland side with a decidedly ordinary bowling lineup.
All is not lost, however, as Max O’Dowd was the top scorer of the tournament followed closely by Michael Levitt. Their performances with the bat at this World Cup will be crucial, as will those of captain Scott Edwards and veterans Bas de Leede and Wesley Barresi.
Additionally, Logan van Beek still took the most wickets of that tri-series, and as long as all-rounder de Leede chips in with a few strikes and Aryan Dutt fulfills his role, the Flying Dutchmen have every chance to go as high as their test-playing counterparts in Group D.
Predicted XI: Scott Edwards (c/wk), Wesley Barresi, Bas de Leede, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein, Logan van Beek, Paul van Meekeren, Vivian Kingma, Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Saqib Zulfiqar.
Netherlands vs South Africa Betting Odds
Netherlands vs South Africa Head-to-Head Stats
The Netherlands and South Africa have only ever played two T20I matches against one another, and both have been absolute thrillers. The first time around, South Africa won by a measly 6 runs at the 2014 T20 World Cup in Chattogram, Bangladesh, while the Netherlands caused an upset with a 13-run victory in their most recent meeting 2 years ago in Adelaide, Australia.
This third match might be the start of a new cricketing rivalry depending on how it goes. Nothing creates a rivalry like the sudden change in a long-established status quo, and with the kind of talent and history of causing famous World Cup upsets the Netherlands has, a win for them would be the most entertaining outcome for sure.
Netherlands vs South Africa Weather and Pitch Conditions
With very little chance of rain and thoroughly pleasant conditions, cricket in New York on Saturday will be a lovely affair. The temperature will be a relaxing 25 degrees, and there will be a decent breeze blowing that won’t be strong enough to cause the ball to deviate much.
That being said, the pitch at the brand new Nassau County International Cricket Stadium is one that has only had one T20I played on it, and has already gained a reputation as an aberrant surface. With only 157 runs scored across 35 overs and 127 dot balls, the pitch is one batsmen will be wary of for the rest of this tournament, and it won’t come as a surprise if it’s curated to be at least a little more batting-friendly.
Considering the conditions and the fact that they have already played at the stadium, South Africa will undoubtedly have an edge over their opponents. The skill and experience of their bowlers will come in handy again, and there’s a good chance that the Netherlands could be packed up nice and early.
Netherlands vs South Africa Betting Tips and Predictions
As much as the romantic in us would love to root for the underdogs, once one considers all the factors at play it’s hard to come to any conclusion that doesn’t involve a win for the Proteas. This wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, but it would certainly have the group heading in a distinct, defined direction as far as the top seed is concerned. That’s not to say that the Netherlands has absolutely no chance, but they’ll have to pull off something really special to come out on top.
Heinrich Klaasen was superb in the IPL recently, and although he had a hard time against Sri Lanka, he’s likely to get a few good hits in and score the highest runs for South Africa. On the other side, Max O’Dowd is our pick for the top scorer for the Netherlands.
Anrich Nortje seems to have developed a fondness for the New York pitch, but we expect Keshav Maharaj to do more damage this time around. Logan van Beek’s experience will likely make him the top wicket-taker for the orange side.
Netherlands vs South Africa has a possibility to be an absolute firecracker despite the apparent difference in the strengths of each side, and this is one battle that shouldn’t be missed by any cricket fan. Cricket is an unpredictable game that’s quite unique in how fortunes can change within the span of minutes and keep oscillating back and forth, and one would hope to see exactly such a match in New York on Saturday.