T20 World Cup | Bas de Leede steers the Dutch to win over Namibia

Bas de Leede’s unbeaten 72 (48b, 5×4, 4×6) led the Netherlands to a seven-wicket win against Namibia in a T20 World Cup Group-A encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

In response to Namibia’s 156 for eight, the Dutch side took 18 overs to ease to the target. Having lost to Pakistan in the opening match, Scott Edwards and Co. have got off the mark in the marquee event.

While Max O’Dowd departed early in the chase, de Leede took firm control at No. 3 to ensure there were no jitters in the Netherlands camp. It was redemption for de Leede, whose notorious record of the most expensive figures in ODI history – 10-0-115-2 – came against Australia in the 2023 World Cup at this very ground.

Belonging to a cricketing family, the 26-year-old, whose father Tim de Leede represented the country in three ODI World Cups, got going with a six off Max Heingo in the fifth over.

If Louren Steenkamp had held on to Colin Ackermann’s catch off J.J. Smit in the 10th over, the Netherlands may have had to work harder for victory. But the reprieve – he was on 13 at the time – allowed Ackermann to forge a 70-run stand with de Leede for the third wicket. The latter hit the winning runs, deftly steering a full ball for four through short third, in the company of Edwards.

“Coming from a cricketing family in the Netherlands, it is really special to be able to perform and hopefully make my family proud,” de Leede said.

Earlier, Jan Frylinck and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton lent some solidity to Namibia’s innings with a 50-run stand off 41 balls. However, the tempo of the partnership may have hindered the African side, which added 91 runs in the last 10 overs, from achieving a more robust total.

The scores: Namibia 156/8 in 20 overs (Jan Frylinck 30, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton 42, Logan van Beek 2/13, Bas de Leede 2/20) lost to the Netherlands 159/3 in 18 overs (Bas de Leede 72 n.o., Colin Ackermann 32). Toss: The Netherlands; PoM: Bas de Leede.