"God has given you 2 eyes" - Mohammad Kaif on the Netherlands' 4 run-outs in 2023 World Cup loss to Afghanistan

Mohammad Kaif has highlighted that the well-set Netherlands batters' failure to use their judgment was responsible for their run-outs in their 2023 World Cup loss to Afghanistan.

The Dutch lost four of their top five batters to run-outs and were bundled out for 179 in Lucknow on Friday, November 3. Hashmatullah Shahidi and company then chased down the below-par target with seven wickets and 18.3 overs to spare to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Kaif opined that both Colin Ackermann and Sybrand Engelbrecht should have refused the singles that led to their dismissals. He said:

"God has given you two eyes. If you see both wickets, there was no run. The batters were set and they ran on the other batters' calls. They should have refused in both cases - Ackermann and Engelbrecht."

The former India opener highlighted that both set batters got out while attempting non-existent singles. He explained:

"Where was Rashid Khan standing, he was at 20 yards, there was no run at all. The ball reached him very quickly. Ackermann was a set batter, he was playing well. If a set batter gets run out, you will have difficulties. He (Mohammad Nabi) was also at 20 yards. You ran after hitting straight into the hands."

Engelbrecht hit the ball straight to Rashid Khan at mid-off and called Ackermann for a single that resulted in the latter getting run out at the striker's end. Engelbrecht suffered a similar fate when he didn't turn down Roelof van der Merwe's call after the spin-bowling all-rounder had hit the ball straight to Mohammad Nabi at midwicket.

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"You will have to praise Azmatullah Omarzai" - Mohammad Kaif on Max O'Dowd's run-out

Max O'Dowd was run out by a direct throw from fine leg. [P/C: AP]

Mohammad Kaif praised Azmatullah Omarzai for the way he inflicted Max O'Dowd's run-out. He elaborated:

"You will have to praise Azmatullah Omarzai. He threw from far and it was right on target. It's extremely difficult to hit the stumps from that far. If I tell you to throw 10 times, you won't be able to do that. Even Azmat will not be able to do it again."

The cricketer-turned-commentator highlighted that O'Dowd's dismissal was crucial as he had scored 42 runs off 40 deliveries. He stated:

"He was standing at the right place, came running fast, is fit, released the ball even though he was off-balance, and made the right aim on the stumps. That was a big wicket as Max O'Dowd was playing attackingly."

Kaif added that the in-form Scott Edwards' dismissal for a duck was also a setback. He concluded by observing that although the Netherlands are a disciplined team, they made a lot of mistakes in Friday's game.