.jpg?fm=webp&h=800&q=80&w=1024&s=6ad23170f5780ccf4870d0bbf734dd9d)
The first round of the T20 World Cup features four teams in each group playing in round-robin format. That often means whoever loses the two matches is out of the race. Namibia and Netherlands, having lost their respective first matches, will now meet in Abu Dhabi, on 20 September. They have met before only once, in 2019, and a lot will be at stake in their second meeting.
The Netherlands won the qualifying tournament, and have got some seasoned cricketers in their rank. None of them, however, lived up to the occasion in the opening game, where they were hammered by Ireland. They never recovered from the dramatic collapse in the 10th over, where Irishman Curtish Campher took four wickets in four balls. If not for Max O'Dowd's 52, they might not even have crossed the double-digit.
Ryan ten Doeschate, Roelof van der Merwe, Scott Edwards, Fred Klaassen and Ben Cooper – big guns all – failed to open their accounts. Van der Merwe has had a terrible day with ball as well, going for over eight an over. They may replace Cooper with Stephan Myburgh, their T20 World Cup hero from 2014.
The Namibians succumbed to a seven-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka in their opening game. They were let down by their batters, who seemed uncomfortable against a superb bowling unit, and were skittled out for 96. Craig Williams, their most consistent run-getter, top-scored 29, while captain Gerhard Erasmus managed 20.
If they want to put up a challenge, the rest of the batting order needs to step up. David Wiese can strike well, but he has not done much in the last few weeks. To Namibia's advantage, the bowling unit will not be of the same standard as it was against Sri Lanka, where the batters could negotiate Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmantha Chameera.
Probable XIs
Netherlands: Max O'Dowd, Stephan Myburgh, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Ryan ten Doeschate, Scott Edwards (wk), Roelof van der Merwe, Pieter Seelaar (c), Logan van Beek, Fred Klaassen, Timm van der Gugten
Namibia: Stephan Baard, Zane Green (wk), Craig Williams, Gerhard Erasmus (c), David Wiese, J.J. Smit, Jan Frylinck, Pikky Ya France, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz.
Fantasy Tips
- From Namibia, you cannot miss Williams, who has four fifties in his last five innings. He cannot shift through the gears seamlessly but is a good option nonetheless for your fantasy team.
- Van Beek and Klaassen ae must-haves for your fantasy team. Both were regular members of their sides in the T20 Blast, and they bowled well in the last game as well.
- If Myburgh walks in the playing XI, pick him in your squad, as he has been pretty consistent for the Dutch as an opener of late.
Blitzpools Fantasy XIs
Scott Edwards, Craig Williams (c), Stephan Myburgh, Gerhard Erasmus, Max O'Dowd, J.J. Smit, Colin Ackermann, David Wiese, Ruben Trumpelmann, Logan van Beek, Fred Klaassen,