Scotland scored 277 and needed to prevent Netherlands from crossing it in 44 overs; de Leede ensured it didn’t happen.
A remarkable all-around performance by Bas de Leede secured The Netherlands the final spot in the Cricket World Cup as they defeated Scotland by four wickets on Thursday.
De Leede delivered an outstanding performance by scoring 123 runs and taking five wickets for 52 runs during Scotland’s innings.
The Dutch team will join Sri Lanka in the upcoming Cricket World Cup hosted by India in October and November. This marks their fifth appearance in the tournament but their first since 2011.
Despite facing challenging moments in their innings, with the score at one point being 108 for four, de Leede’s extraordinary performance in chasing down Scotland’s total of 277 for 9 proved crucial. His century, which included seven fours and five sixes, was a remarkable achievement. Additionally, his partnership of 113 runs with Saqib Zulfiqar (33 not out) for the fifth wicket played a vital role in the victory.
Speaking about their strategy, de Leede mentioned, “We had a look at where we wanted to be at the halfway point, and from there you’ve got to do it. It was 10 to 11 an over, so for us, it was about going into T20 mode. We tried to take as many runs as possible in each over and just see where we would end up. It’s amazing, I can’t describe the feeling, and it will be one big party tonight.”
Scotland had set a challenging total, mainly due to the impressive partnership between South African-born players Brandon McMullen and captain Richie Berrington, who added 137 runs for the fourth wicket. McMullen scored a sublime 106, while Berrington contributed a punchy 64, and Tom Mackintosh chipped in with an entertaining unbeaten 38 at the end of the innings.
Brief Score: Netherlands 278 for 6 (de Leede 123, Vikramjit 40, Zulfiqar 33*, Leask 2-42, Watt) beat Scotland 277 for 9 (McMullen 106, Berrington 64, Mackintosh 38*, de Leede 5-52, Klein 2-59) by four wickets.
Man of the Match: Bas de Leede
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