3 months ago
2
Ahead of his side’s T20 World Cup clash against India astatine Ahmedabad, Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards said that the squad is looking guardant to the “massive opportunity” of playing against the defending champions successful 1 of the world’s largest stadiums, successful Ahmedabad.
The Netherlands volition beryllium aiming to bow retired of the tourney with their heads held high, hoping to make immoderate upset against India oregon astatine slightest springiness them a monolithic scare up of the all-important Super Eight signifier during their clash connected Wednesday (February 18, 2026). The Dutch are successful 2nd place, with a triumph implicit Namibia and losses to Pakistan and USA.
Speaking during the pre-match presser, Edwards said, “It is evidently a monolithic opportunity. I deliberation it is the biggest stadium successful the world. So, to beryllium playing against India successful India astatine the biggest stadium is thing each the guys are truly looking guardant to. It is simply a large accidental to trial yourselves against the best. I deliberation cricket is increasing successful the Netherlands. Obviously, shot is the main athletics and we astir apt volition ne'er get to that level (of India), but for america it is conscionable promoting the crippled and hopefully our performances tin assistance turn that crippled successful the Netherlands.”
Speaking connected playing successful T20 World Cups since 2009 and having got large upset wins implicit South Africa and England, Edwards pointed retired the “difficulties astir subordinate cricket” and Netherlands having “punched supra their weight”.
“I deliberation we person played a batch of bully cricket done World Cups. I deliberation to get to the adjacent level, a batch of it comes down to much opportunities against trial playing nations. However that comes about, determination is evidently restrictions with backing for america and those benignant of things, but that is not truly nether our control. For us, it is conscionable playing our champion cricket erstwhile we tin connected the satellite signifier and hopefully that gives america opportunities,” helium added.
Having archetypal made headlines during the 2009 T20 WC with a shocking triumph implicit England, Netherlands person participated successful each T20 World Cup since the 2014 edition, with the eighth spot decorativeness successful 2022 variation retired of 16 teams being their champion finish. In that tournament, they had adjacent matches with Sri Lanka (losing by 16 runs successful pursuit of 163) and aboriginal successful Super 12 stage, losing to Bangladesh by 9 runs portion chasing 145 runs. Winning this lucifer would person placed them successful contention for the semifinal spot with Pakistan, who reached that signifier with six points nether their belt, portion Netherlands ended with 4 points successful 5 matches.
On their nonaccomplishment to the USA astatine Chennai 4 days back, wherever they crumbled to 103 each retired portion chasing 197 runs, Edwards admitted that the squad did not play its champion cricket.
“USA, I thought they played rather well. It is evidently disappointing. It beauteous overmuch leaves america retired of this competition. But for us, we determination connected to this game. Obviously, playing against India successful Ahmedabad with what volition astir apt beryllium a monolithic crowd. So yeah, the boys person moved connected and we are looking guardant to that,” helium added.
Teams:
Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards(w/c), Zach Lion-Cachet, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein, Fred Klaassen, Noah Croes, Saqib Zulfiqar, Paul van Meekeren, Timm van der Gugten
India: Ishan Kishan(w), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh.
