NED vs NEP Highlights, T20 World Cup 2024: Max O'Dowd Guides Netherlands To Victory Over Nepal

That is all from this game. The focus shifts on Group A as India takes on Ireland on the 5th of this month. Join us for the 8th game of the tournament at 8 pm IST (2.30 pm GMT). Join us earlier for the build up. Till then, cheers!

Scott Edwards, the captain of Netherlands says that they got a bit of a read of the wicket and their bowlers used the conditions well to get a couple of wickets in the Powerplay. Credits his entire bowling unit and says that they were excellent throughout the innings. Mentions that ideally they would have wanted to chase it down quicker but the wicket was a bit tricky and Max played a crucial knock to take them home. Ends by saying that it is just about keeping consistency for them and they can challenge any team in the tournament.

Rohit Paudel, the skipper of Nepal says the conditions were challenging, they could have played a bit better with tbe bat, they lacked partership and it helped Netherlands to get back in the game. Adds he was trying to use the crease and disturb the Dutch bowler's length and it was working for him. Shares they bowled well but accepts that it could have been different had he would have taken the catch in the fag end of the innings. Ends by thanking the crowd who showed up and says, he feels like they were playing in Nepal.

Tim Pringle wins the Player of the Match award. He says that he tried to bowl at the stump and let the surface do it's job. Adds that giving flight is important for a spinner but you also have to vary your pace. Ends by saying that he is happy that they got the win.

...Presentation...

For Nepal, they were boosted with some amazing support right from the start but on the field, things didn't went as per planned. Nepal didn't got the partnership they were looking for with the bat. They struggled throughout and ended with a below-par total in the end. The bowlers didn't had much chance with such a low score to defend but they tried their best and scalped a couple of wickets however, were not helped by some disappoint fielding performance as they dropped a couple of chances and at times when if had they taken the catch, the game could have tilted in their favour.

Netherlands are up and running in the Group D! The victory though was well set up by their bowlers. It was a crucial toss to win for Scott Edwards who made a great decision to bowl first in overcast conditions. His bowlers were right upto the mark, just basic execution was needed as the pitch was assisting seamers and spinners equally. Tim Pringle took the opening wicket and ended with three eventully while Logan van Beek took two wickets in the final over to end with three wickets as well. With bat, Netherlands kept losing wickets reguarly but they needed someone to play the anchoring role and it was Max O'Dowd who put up his hand and scored a fine fifty to get his team over the line. Netherlands could have gone the hard way but they chose to be cautios right till the end to get the two points which is understanable knowing the pitch was helping the bowlers.

FOUR! Bas de Leede finishes things off in fine fashion! Abinash Bohara serves this very full and around off, Bas de Leede strides out a bit and drills it past extra covers for a boundary. NETHERLANDS WIN BY 6 WICKETS!

Back of a length and on off, Max O'Dowd punches it through covers for one.

SIX! BANG! FIFTY FOR Max O'Dowd! A fantastic knock under huge amount of pressure and he will want to stay there till the end now. This one is fuller and on middle, Max O'Dowd goes down across and swipes it away, the ball flies to the fine leg fence and lands on the boundary cushions on the full for a maximum. The replay confirms the same and Netherlands are just one hit away from the win now.

FOUR! Pressure-releasing shot! Abinash Bohara hits the hard length, angling into leg, Max O'Dowd stays in his crease and whips it away towards the deep backward square leg fence for a boundary.

Is this another chance? No, just short! Overpitched and on off, Max O'Dowd goes for the big shot again but slices it in the air, the ball lands just in front of the long off fielder. Six singles in the over then!

Overpitched and on off, Bas de Leede drills it to long off for one.

Short of a length and around off, Max O'Dowd pulls it through mid-wicket for another run.

Pitched up and on off, Bas de Leede drives it towards long off for a run.

DROPPED! Big moment in the game!  Fuller one and on off, Max O'Dowd tries to loft it away but mistimes it in the air towards long off, Rohit Paudel moves to his left, tries to reverse-cup it but fails to hold on to it. That was the chance to get the set batter out and get back in the game. That could be the game for Netherlands!

A dipping low full toss, on middle, Bas de Leede goes through his slog early and toe-ends it towards long on for a single.

Another short delivery, on off, Bas de Leede forces it to sweeper covers for one more.

Brilliant effort! Fires this one full, on middle, Bas de Leede drives it wide of the bowler, Sagar Dhakal dives to his left to get a hand to it as the ball rolls to extra covers. Another dot!

Dragged down, outside off, turns away a bit, Max O'Dowd cuts it away to deep point for one.