DALLAS, Texas, CMC – In a display of resilience, an unbeaten 54 from Max O’Dowd led a successful run chase for the Netherlands, opening the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup with a six-wicket win in a low-scoring contest against Nepal on Tuesday in the United States.
O’Dowd, with his strategic play, smacked four fours and one six from 48 balls and anchored the Dutch chase of 107 to clip the wings of their fellow ICC associate team in their Group D contest at the Grand Prairie Stadium in the American city of Dallas in Texas.
After losing opener Michael Levitt for one in the second over, O’Dowd and Vikramjit Singh carried the Netherlands to 36 for one at the close of the Power Play, and they shared a second wicket stand of 40 to settle the nerves.
Singh was lbw to Dipendra Singh Airee in the ninth over, but O’Dowd kept his cool and guided the Dutch the rest of the way to claim two points.
Earlier, rain delayed the toss by half an hour, prompting fears of a reduced contest in front of a big crowd—but the weather cleared, and the Netherlands put Nepal in to bat.
Only the Nepalese captain Rohit Paudel came to terms with the Dutch bowling, scoring 35 from 37 balls, and the Asian side was dismissed for 106 in 19.2 overs.
Logan van Beek was the pick of the Netherlands bowlers, taking three for 18 from 3.2 overs. Tim Pringle finished with three for 20 from his four overs, while Paul van Meekeren and Bas de Leede grabbed two wickets.
Group D continues on Friday when Bangladesh plays Sri Lanka at Grand Prairie. The Dutch face South Africa on Saturday at the Nassau County Stadium in the American town of East Meadow in the state of New York, and Nepal faces the Sri Lankans next Tuesday at the Central Broward Regional Park in the American city of Lauderhill in the state of Florida.
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