'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
"We want to make the semi-finals" - That's what Netherlands all-rounder Bas de Leede said when he made things clear about his team's targets at the World Cup before their first encounter against Pakistan. It seemed like a fanciful dream to many, considering they hadn't played an ODI since the World Cup Qualifiers that took place in June 2023.
The Dutch were not even thinking of themselves as associates to just be one of the participants in the 2023 World Cup; they wanted to compete as equals with the bigger teams and win some matches against them.
They might not be as intimidating as a team one can imagine, but the Netherlands have some utility players in their ranks to do the job efficiently.
Some might think that they are too optimistic and are far from realistic in terms of setting expectations. But mind you, they have beaten some of the top teams in the past, including in ICC events, and they have every reason to believe in themselves.
In this article, we will look at some of the upsets they caused at World Cups, where they showed the world how capable the team was.
3 times Netherlands caused a major upset in a World Cup
#3. Netherlands beat England by 4 wickets in the 2009 T20 World Cup at Lord's, England
It was a shocker of a start for England in the 2009 T20 World Cup when they stumbled against a fairly inexperienced Netherlands side.
When Ravi Bopara and Luke Wright blasted 100-plus runs inside 11 overs, it seemed like the match would once again be a one-sided affair with the hosts dominating it.
But then, England suffered a famous collapse as they managed to score only 58 runs in the last 8 overs and could only get to 162/5.
Though the Dutch batting line-up didn't set the stage on fire, vital contributions from the likes of Peter Borren and Ryan ten Doeschate meant they were always on the hunt for the target.
With only 7 runs to defend off the final over, England skipper Paul Collingwood handed the responsibility to Stuart Broad, who fluffed one return catch and two run-out chances in the over. As a result, the Netherlands registered their first-ever upset in a World Cup.
#2. Netherlands beat South Africa by 13 runs in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Adelaide, Australia
In the 2022 T20 World Cup, the Proteas were already robbed of a point against Zimbabwe when rain came down. But somehow, they found a way to succumb in an ICC competition once again, this time against the Netherlands, to hand over what was looking like a sure-shot semifinal berth to Pakistan.
Thanks to some late blitzkrieg from Colin Ackermann (41 off 26 balls), the Dutch side managed to put up a decent total of 158/4 on the sluggish Adelaide surface.
South Africa's batting unit once again crumbled while chasing in an ICC event, and none of the batters, from the famed batting line-up consisting of Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, or David Miller, could even cross the 30-run mark, let alone the SR of 130+.
As a result, the Dutch team registered another upset in a World Cup, this time knocking South Africa out of the tournament.
#1. Netherlands beat South Africa by 38 runs in the 2023 World Cup in Dharmshala, India
Some say lightning doesn't strike twice, but if it's orange in color, it certainly does. In a rain-curtailed match with 43 overs per side, the Netherlands found themselves reeling at 112/6 in the 27th over.
But the lower order batters, and skipper Scott Edwards, produced a counter-attack for the ages, thereby helping the side conclude the innings with 245 runs on the board.
The Dutch were quick to notice the nature of the surface and the struggles of openers Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock against off-spin. With that, they frontloaded the powerplay overs with spin, which saw the Dutch bowlers picking up three crucial wickets inside that phase.
The required run rate kept increasing and top batters from their lineup, which included the likes of Heinrich Klassen and Rassie Van Der Dussen, lost their wickets while trying to go hard. The South African side lost control of the game as the Dutch registered their first-ever ODI World Cup upset, quite comprehensively.
