Approximately 18 months ago, the Netherlands caused one of the major upsets in T20 World Cup history by eliminating South Africa from the tournament in Adelaide. Lightning then struck twice as they defeated the Proteas in last year’s ODI World Cup. When the Dutch walk out to face South Africa in New York on June 8, they will aim to make it three wins in three World Cup matches.
Starting their T20 World Cup campaign on a high note, South Africa seek another win following their success against Sri Lanka. While their batting performance wasn't stellar, the bowlers delivered commendable performances in favourable conditions.
Marco Jansen, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, and Ottneil Baartman capitalised on the bowler-friendly pitch in New York. Opting to bowl first after winning the toss gave South Africa an edge, having assessed the pitch well.
Nortje's stunning spell yielded his best T20I figures of 4-7. However, the lack of substantial time spent at the crease by batters raises concerns for a team eyeing a deep tournament run.
Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, and Reeza Hendricks possess the ability to score quick runs, and they must do so.
Similarly, the Netherlands started their campaign with a convincing win over Nepal. However, to upset the Proteas once again, it'll require an all-round effort from the Dutch.
The Dutch's strength lies in their all-rounders, including Bas De Leede, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Logan van Beek, and Tim Pringle. Yet, the opening duo of Michael Levitt and Max O'Dowd is equally important to provide a solid start.
In terms of pace, van Beek and Paul van Meekeren impressed with five wickets between them in the previous game. They will be supported by Vivian Kingma, who can swing the ball both ways.
NED vs SA Pitch report
The Nassau County Stadium has presented challenging pitches this tournament, with the first two matches witnessing the team batting first being dismissed for less than 100 runs. This low-scoring surface may also offer inconsistent bounce, adding to the unpredictability of the pitch.
NED vs SA Head-to-Head
In T20Is, South Africa and the Netherlands have met twice, each winning one match apiece.
NED vs SA Probable Playing XIs
Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max O'Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Scott Edwards (c, wk), Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Logan van Beek, Tim Pringle, Paul van Meekeren, Vivian Kingma.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman.
NED vs SA Toss time
This riveting clash will begin at 8pm IST with the toss taking place at 7:30pm.
Telecast: Star Sports network
Live streaming: Disney plus Hotstar
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