All-round De Leede powers Netherlands to comfortable win

Netherlands shrugged off their heartbreaking loss to Pakistan in their previous T20 World Cup game with a commanding win over Namibia in Delhi on Tuesday (February 10). An all-round display from Bas de Leede, who picked up two important wickets with the ball before starring in the chase with an unbeaten 72, saw Netherlands cruise to a seven-wicket victory. The Netherlands were able to contain Namibia early after choosing to bowl first. Louren Steenkamp was out stumped by Aryan Dutt after surviving an early run-out chance in the first three overs, which resulted in only 13 runs. While Dutt bowled a tight spell, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton and Jan Frylinck struck a couple of sixes and fours to propel Namibia to 40/1 at the conclusion of the PowerPlay. After the PowerPlay, Netherlands managed to play a few more quiet overs, breaking a 50-run partnership with Frylinck's dismissal in the 10th over. Gerhard Erasmus, the captain, and Loftie-Eaton shared a brisk 35-run stand in which they hit three fours and two sixes in the space of two overs. However, Erasmus was run out in the 13th over. Namibia struggled to sustain the momentum thereafter. Loftie-Eaton was run out in the 15th over after a run-out scare and a reprieve from the same ball. When JJ Smit hit consecutive sixes off Roelof van der Merwe in the 16th over, he appeared to be threatening, but Bas de Leede bowled him in the next over. With 31 runs scored in the final four overs, Namibia fell from 127-4 to 156-8. Max O'Dowd fell first in response, but Michael Levitt launched the assault on Namibia. In his 15-ball 28 innings, he hit three sixes before being run out in the sixth over. By the end of the PowerPlay, the Netherlands had reached 50/2 and remained steadfast in their pursuit of the goal. It was followed then by a defining 70-run partnership between de Leede and Colin Ackermann. The duo began watchfully but ensured Netherlands never really fell afoul of the asking rate. Starting in the eleventh over, they played a lot of strokes, making Namibia regret dropping Ackermann in the previous over. They were separated when Ackermann was bowled out in the 14th over, but de Leede kept going without getting discouraged and ended up with a 38-ball score 52 overs later. With seven wickets and two overs remaining, Netherlands secured an emphatic victory thanks to a 21-run 18th over by De Leede and Scott Edwards.