Ireland and the Netherlands had both made their Men’s T20 World Cup debuts in 2009. They will clash on 18 October, in Match 3 of the 2021 edition of the tournament, at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. They are placed in Group A, alongside Sri Lanka and Namibia.
Ireland and the Netherlands had won one match each in their debut campaign. While Ireland beat Bangladesh by six wickets to qualify for the Super 8, the Netherlands stunned England at the Lord’s, although they missed out the next phase on net run rate.
With two places in Super 12s up for grabs from Group A, both sides know the importance of this fixture. They met 12 times in T20Is, with the Netherlands leading 7-4 and the one ended in no result.
Ireland have some of the veterans of the game in Paul Stirling, Kevin O’Brien, and Andy Balbirnie. The Netherlands, too boast of a group of experienced campaigners, featuring Ryan Ten Doeschate, Ben Cooper, Roelof van der Merwe, and Pieter Seelaar.
Stirling, the only Ireland batter to have more than 2,000 T20I runs, will be in focus again. He finished as the leading run-scorer in the 2019 T20 World Cup Qualifier, and the second-highest run-scorer (1,704 runs at a strike rate of 142) in T20 Cricket across the world since the conclusion of the 2016 World Cup, after Babar Azam.
For the Netherlands, Seelaar will be key with both ball and bat to reach the Super 12s. Max O'Dowd, who became the first Dutch to score a T20I hundred in April this year (against Malaysia), will be looking to give them a blistering start.
Likely XIs
Ireland: Paul Stirling, Kevin O’Brien, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Neil Rock (wk), Gareth Delany, Simi Singh, Mark Adair, Josh Little, Andy McBrine.
Netherlands: Max O’Dowd, Ben Cooper, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Pieter Seelaar (c), Ryan ten Doeschate, Scott Edwards (wk), Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Timm van der Gugten, Fred Klaassen.
Betway Fantasy Tips
- Stirling is the most popular captain choice in this fixture. Appoint Seelaar as the vice-captain.
- Among all-rounders, include Delany and Singh. Do not ignore O’Dowd, O’Brien, and Balbirnie. They can score big if they set themselves in at the crease.
- Adair, van der Gugten, and Klaassen are the must-have bowlers in your fantasy XI.
Prediction
Expect a tight contest. Perhaps an Irish win.
Blitzpools Fantasy Team
Paul Stirling (c), Kevin O’Brien, Andrew Balbirnie, Max O’Dowd, Pieter Seelaar (vc), Gareth Delany, Simi Singh, Neil Rock, Timm van der Gugten, Fred Klaassen, Mark Adair.