Key events
Mpumelelo Mbangwa’s mid-match pitch inspection detects no dew as yet and a dusty surface. It won’t be easy for Afghanistan, but they have one of the most in-form top fives in the tournament. The players are heading back out.
Thanks greatly, Luke. Greetings everyone. India has long been seen as the place to go to watch spin-dominant bowling attacks, but Afghanistan have been perhaps this tournament’s leading spin-showcasing side. And we saw it again just now, on a track that’s far from a raging Bunsen. Noor and Nabi excelled again, all with a vital underpinning by the ever-canny Rashid Khan, who remains one of the most watchable cricketers in the modern game. The Netherlands contributed to their own problems, mind, with some needless run-outs, but they’re not out of this. They skittled another Asian side, Bangladesh, emphatically when bowling second the other day, and have done what most have failed to do in taming South Africa’s rampant batting lineup. So don’t go anywhere.
Tom Davies is now on hand to guide you through Afghanistan’s run chase, as they try to keep their semi-final hopes alive with a fourth victory of the tournament. Bye for now.
Mohammad Nabi (3-28) has a chat after Netherlands set Afghanistan 180 to win: “The first 10 overs was not good, the line and length … when Rashid [Khan] came back [from his spell of the field], we discussed: 10 overs gone, just bowl in the right areas and they will do mistakes … When the pressure comes on the batsmen, that’s when they will do mistakes, and we took our opportunities with four run outs there.”
Wicket! Van Meekeren lbw b Nabi 4, Netherlands 179 all out (46.3 overs)
It’s over! Nabi snatches the final wicket and deserves his figures of 28-3. How the Dutch will rue that run-out for the opening batsman Max O’Dowd, who was smacking it everywhere, but fell for 42 to a stunning piece of work by Azmat Omarzai. It was a direct hit from behind square after a magnificent effort to sprint to the ball and swoop on it with the batsmen coming back for two. After that is was mostly downhill for the Netherlands, although Sybrand Engelbrecht’s 58 was a bright spot, along with Colin Ackermann’s 29.
46th over: Netherlands 178-9 (Van Meekeren 4, Dutt 9)
Just the wide off the over. Van Meekeren tries to smash the final ball through the offside but misses it. Ikram shouts for a catch behind the stumps but no one else is interested, including the umpire. Van Meekeren throws his head back in frustration. Four to go.
45th over: Netherlands 177-9 (Van Meekeren 4, Dutt 9)
A couple of attempted lusty blows head skywards during this over from Nabi, his ninth, but both fall safe. Netherlands can add four runs to the total. That’s ruined his figures, his economy rate has ballooned to 3.00.
44th over: Netherlands 173-9 (Van Meekeren 2, Dutt 7)
Afghanistan are well ahead of schedule with their over rate. They have been rocketing through them and no mistake, with help from their impressive array of spinners.
43rd over: Netherlands 172-9 (Van Meekeren 2, Dutt 6)
Three off the latest over from Ur Rahman. Seven overs remaining for the Netherlands to try and edge that total northwards. (Presuming they can nurse this final wicket to the finish line.)
Mohammad Nabi, with 2-23 from 8 overs and an economy rate of 2.87, is the pick of the Afghan bowlers.
42nd over: Netherlands 169-9 (Van Meekeren 0, Dutt 5)
One run for the Dutch, and one wicket for Noor. The sun will soon be setting behind the smog in Lucknow, and the sun is setting on this Netherlands innings, too.
See that? Poetry, that is.
Wicket! Van der Merwe ct Ibrahim Zadran b Noor 11, Netherlands 169-9
Van der Merwe skies one, high and handsome looking to hit over the leg side, and Ibrahim Zadran stays cool to snaffle a well-judged catch.
41st over: Netherlands 168-8 (Van der Merwe 11, Dutt 5)
Just a single for Van der Merwe. So that’s one added to the score. And one more over gone, too. Yep, I’m definitely getting the hang of this now.
40th over: Netherlands 167-8 (Van der Merwe 10, Dutt 5)
It’s all go. Well, that an exaggeration. But I’m not very good at maths so trying to keep up with the basic additions to the batsmen’s totals and indeed the over count. Can the Netherlands at least bat out their allotted 50 overs?
39th over: Netherlands 164-8 (Van der Merwe 9, Dutt 4)
Dutt looks to be caught plumb lbw off Ur Rahman but umpire Menon isn’t interested. And Afghanistan have no reviews left after senselessly throwing two of them away earlier. Two off the over – a single for Dutt, and a wide.
38th over: Netherlands 162-8 (Van der Merwe 9, Dutt 3)
The statisticians tell us that this is the first time in a men’s ODI that four of a side’s top five have been run out. But Dirk Nannes, in the commentary box, thinks one of them (Edwards) was a stumping. I agree.
37th over: Netherlands 158-8 (Van der Merwe 6, Dutt 2)
The Dutch edge further towards respectability with four off the over from Rashid Khan.
36th over: Netherlands 154-8 (Van der Merwe 3, Dutt 1)
Van der Merwe survives being given out lbw when he reviews, and the ball is shown to be missing leg stump. Still, the Dutch are struggling to bat out their overs here. Van der Merwe was arguably responsible for running out Engelbrecht, who was going along nicely, while Engelbrecht ran out Ackermann, who was also looking good for his 29. Ackermann could not bring himself to look at his teammate Engelbrecht as he trudged off. There will be tension at the dinner table in the Netherlands’ team hotel this evening.
35th over: Netherlands 152-8 (Van der Merwe 2, Dutt 0)
Four of the Netherlands top five have been run out, although personally I’d call one of them a stumping.
Wicket! Engelbrecht run out 58, Netherlands 152-8
Oh no! Oh no! NOT AGAIN! This is so silly.
It’s a fourth run out of the innings after a mix-up between the half-centurion Engelbrecht and his batting partner Van der Merwe. Well, I say a mix-up, they take on a run that probably isn’t there after Van der Merwe clips the ball to leg side, to mid-wicket. There is a bit of hesitation by both of them, and Engelbrecht has to go after some sharp work by Nabi who picks up and throws in one smooth movement. Stupid from the Netherlands batters! So silly! Not clever!
Courtesy of Wikipedia, here’s Roelof van der Merwe’s “career path”.
Ah, modern cricket!
2006/07–2013/14 Northerns
2007/08–2014/15 Titans
2009–2010 Royal Challengers Bangalore
2011–2013 Delhi Daredevils
2011 Somerset
2011/12 Brisbane Heat
2014 St Lucia Zouks
2016-present Somerset
2019 Tshwane Spartans
2021 London Spirit
2022 Northern Superchargers
2022/23 Sunrisers Eastern Cape
2023 Welsh Fire
2023 Barbados Royals
34th over: Netherlands 151-7 (Engelbrecht 57, Van der Merwe 2)
Engelbrecht adds a few more, Van der Merwe contributes a single, and that’s drinks.
33rd over: Netherlands 146-7 (Engelbrecht 53, Van der Merwe 1)
Three off the latest over. The Netherlands faithful will be praying Engelbrecht can stay there and guide them home.
“Fortunately for the Dutch, spectacular late-order recoveries is what they do,” emails Andrew Cosgrove. “For example, against Sri Lanka they were worse off than here (71/5, 91/6) and still posted 262. Let’s hope it’s a close game, at any rate.”
32nd over: Netherlands 143-7 (Engelbrecht 51, Van der Merwe 0)
Engelbrecht rocks back and slams a short, wide ball from Noor for four through cover. The bowler overcompensates and darts one down the leg side, which is helped on its way by Engelbrecht, and that’s his half-century. A really impressive, resolute innings when his teammates were crumbling around him. Unless of course you blame him for running out Ackermann. But even then, well batted!
Wicket! Van Beek b Nabi st Ikram 2, Netherlands 134-7
An absolutely delightful extra-cover drive by Engelbrecht off the second ball of the 31st over, using his feet superbly and angling his bat to guide time the ball through the off side. It races across the fast outfield for four …
Van Beek is inspired to try similar off the last ball of the over, but misses it and is promptly stumped, and out for a couple.
31st over: Netherlands 134-7
30th over: Netherlands 129-6 (Engelbrecht 37, Van Beek 2)
Three off the next over, as well, featuring an expansive reverse sweep by Engelbrecht off the last ball, that earns him a single and allows him to keep the strike. The run rate is 4.3.
29th over: Netherlands 126-6 (Engelbrecht 35, Van Beek 1)
Three off the over. Engelbrecht is fighting his corner here and giving his team a desperately needed foothold in the innings. It’s not easy, either, with Noor and his buddies mixing up their pace and flight and keeping the batsmen guessing.
28th over: Netherlands 123-6 (Engelbrecht 32, Van Beek 1)
Engelbrecht looks to go through the offside, not once but twice, and flashes an edge for four down behind the keeper, and is then dropped at first slip, although it was a very sharp chance. Eight off the over from Noor, anyway, which is better albeit on the extremely streaky side for the Dutch.
27th over: Netherlands 115-6 (Engelbrecht 26, Van Beek 1)
This run rate needs looking at.
26th over: Netherlands 113-6 (Engelbrecht 25, Van Beek 0)
It’s going to take a spectacular Dutch recovery to post a total that will cause many problems for Afghanistan, you’d have thought.
Wicket! Zulfiqar b Noor c Ikram 2, Netherlands 113-6
Zulfiqar goes for a big yahoo through the offside but can only top edge to the keeper. The Dutch were 92-2, but this has been a pretty spectacular collapse since then … and they will reflect ruefully on the run out for O’Dowd, who was trucking along happily and seeing the ball incredibly well. He was dominating, pretty much, but then a run out cost him a big score.
25th over: Netherlands 112-5 (Engelbrecht 24, Zulfiqar 2)
Afghanistan have to play Australia (Tuesday) and then South Africa (next Friday), so it’s a demanding week ahead. If they can win today they are still in with a shout.
The Netherlands have to play England next Wednesday and then India next Sunday. Tough! Well, the second one will be.
24th over: Netherlands 110-5 Engelbrecht 23, Zulfiqar 2
Noor comes into the attack. Engelbrecht attempts to sweep the third ball of the over, a full toss, which looks to be angling down the leg side but he misses it. There’s an appeal for lbw, and indeed a review, which looks optimistic at best … the players stand and stare expectantly at the big screen while the third umpire gets his house in order. Ball tracking shows the ball is missing leg stump by a distance. What a bizarre review – and now Afghanistan have none left. “But he’s bowling a googly!” one of the Afghanistan players pipes up. Strangely, the decision remains not out.
23rd over: Netherlands 108-5 (Engelbrecht 22, Zulfiqar 1)
At this rate Afghanistan are going to stay in with a shout of the semi-finals. The Netherlands aren’t completely out of it, either, but need a win today.
22nd over: Netherlands 102-5 (Engelbrecht 18, Zulfiqar 1)
21st over: Netherlands 97-5 (Engelbrecht 13, Zulfiqar 0)
A wicket maiden from Nabi. The Netherlands are at sixes and sevens, or a similarly shambolic pair of numbers.
Wicket! De Leede 3 c Ikram b Nabi, Netherlands 97-5
Whoops. That’s a soft dismissal, De Leede looking to run Nabi behind square, but succeeding only in feathering a catch to the keeper. That’s three wickets for five runs for rampant Afghanistan now.
