World Cup 2023 Qualifiers Super Six, Match 5: Vikramjit Singh slams ton, Wesley Barresi 97 as Netherlands hammer Oman by 7 wickets 

Netherlands got the better of Oman by 74 runs [DLS method] in match number five of the Super Six round of the ICC World Cup 2023 Qualifiers at the Harare Sports Club on Monday, July 3.

Sent into bat after losing the toss, Netherlands posted 362/7 in 48 overs in a rain-affected game as opener Vikramjit Singh slammed 110 off 109 balls, while Wesley Barresi clobbered 97 in only 65 balls. In response, Oman were 246/6 in 44 overs when bad light prevented any further play. Aryan Dutt shone with the ball for the Netherlands, registering figures of 3/31.

The Netherlands got off to an excellent start with the bat as openers Vikramjit and Max O'Dowd (35 off 64) added 117 in 22 overs. The stand was broken when O'Dowd was bowed by Ayaan Khan. Barresi then joined Vikramjit and the two featured in an 80-run stand for the second wicket.

Vikramjit brought up his maiden one-day ton in the 31st over of the innings, tucking a length ball from Aqib Ilyas past square leg for one. His fantastic knock, which featured 11 fours and two sixes, ended when he holed out to long-on, looking to take on Mohammad Nadeem.

Barresi went into overdrive after Vikramjit’s exit even as Scott Edwards (4) was dismissed cheaply. After crossing his fifty, he smacked Nadeem for two fours and a six in the 40th over, which went for 17. Barresi added 55 for the fourth wicket with Bas de Leede (39 off 19) and 57 for the fifth wicket with Saqib Zulfiqar (33 off 17).

Barresi, whose innings featured 10 fours and three sixes, was looking good for three figures but fell three short. Looking to uppercut Bilal Khan, he nicked the ball to the keeper.

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Ayaan Khan’s ton in vain as Oman fall well short of the Netherlands

In reply, Ayaan Khan (105* off 92) scored an excellent hundred for Oman, but the effort was in vain as Oman managed only 246/6 in 44 overs, which was way below the Duckworth Lewis target of 321.

Openers Kashyap Prajapati (25) and Jatinder Singh (17) got starts, but could not carry on. Skipper Aqib Ilyas (4) also failed to make a significant contribution, perishing to Ryan Klein (2/34).

The only partnership of note in Oman’s chase came when Ayaan and Shoaib Khan (46 off 61) added 112 for the fifth wicket. The stand ended when Shoaib was smartly stumped by Edwards off Dutt’s bowling.

Ayaan brought up a well-deserved maiden ODI hundred by cutting Klein towards deep point for a single, giving Oman something to cheer about.