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South Africa were on song in the World Cup 2023 after beating Sri Lanka and Australia by comfortable margins. They reached Dharamsala high on spirits against a bruised and battered Netherlands and started in that fashion too after the rain gods showed mercy. They were in control for half of Netherlands’ innings but then a determined skipper Scott Edwards and former South African cricketer Roelof van der Merwe changed the tide. With momentum on their side, they posted a fighting total. In the run chase, South Africa never looked like they were in the hunt and ended up losing the match by a big margin of 38 runs.
This was South Africa’s second loss in World Cups. Last year, they lost to the Netherlands by 13 runs in T20 World Cup 2022 in Adelaide. For the second time in a row, the blot ended up on Temba Bavuma’s cap as South Africa failed to get over the line. This was the Netherlands’ first ODI World Cup win against a Test-playing nation. The upset comes a couple of days after Afghanistan beat defending champions England in Delhi.
Earlier, Bavuma won the toss and opted to field first given the conditions and the chances of rain returning. Max ODowd started off with a few boundaries. Despite a cautious start, Vikramjit Singh became Kagiso Rabada's first victim in the seventh over. In the next over, Marco Jansen got the wicket of ODowd. Rabada then got the wicket of Bas de Leede with a delivery that nipped back and trapped Bas de Leede in front of the stumps. Gerald Coetzee was introduced into the attack. Colin Ackermann gave in to the pressure and got bowled. Sybrand Engelbrecht hit a four and a six. But Lungi Ngidi got the better of him with a short-pitched delivery. The Netherlands lost half their side for 82 in the 21st over.
Teja Nidamanuru got an early reprieve as Jansen dropped his catch at fine leg. But Jansen did not let it turn expensive and got Nidamanuru out lbw. Meanwhile, Edwards held on to one end. Keshav Maharaj broke the partnership as Van Been got stumped as he leaned too much on the front foot. Van der Merwe walked out with intent to take on the bowlers. He started off with two fours off Coetzee. In the same over, he played an uppercut to hit a maximum.
Edwards reached his half-century from 53 deliveries. In the next over, Nigdi ended Van der Merwe's cameo. He scored 29 runs from 19 balls. In the slog overs, the Netherlands pushed the scoring rate. Aryan Dutt hit three sixes in his 9-ball 23. On the other end, Edwards remained unbeaten for 78 off 69 balls featuring 10 fours and a six. The partnership helped the Dutch post 245/8 in the 43 overs per side game.
In the run chase, South African openers faced trial by spin. In the eighth over, Quinton de Kock failed the trial as he could not get the sweep shot right. Ackermann got the breakthrough. He scored 20 runs from 22 balls. Then left-arm spinner Van der Merwe came into the attack. Bavuma got bowled as he misjudged the pace. In the next over, Paul van Meekeran bowled with a wobble seam and it skidded on the surface to hit the stumps. Aiden Markram got bowled for a single-digit score. Van der Merwe struck again as Rassie van der Dussen played an unnecessary reverse sweep to lose his wicket. Heinrich Klaasen started off well. Just when it seemed like the tide was turning, Klaasen played a pull shot off Van Beek to find Vikramjit in the deep. He departed for a run-a-ball 28 as South Africa lost half their side for 89 in the 19th over.
Van der Merwe almost got the wicket of dangerous David Miller but De Leede dropped it just inside the boundary. Jansen gave in to the pressure of dot balls and got bowled by Van Meekeren in the 25th over. Coetzee tried to push the scoring rate and hit Van Meekeren for a four and a six. The final nail in the coffin came from Van Beek as Miller played across the line and got bowled. He scored 43 runs from 52 balls. It was just a matter of time after Miller’s departure. Coetzee departed for a 22-ball 23 whereas Rabada got out after hitting a massive six. De Leede got both the wickets. Maharaj and Ngidi delayed the inevitable. Mahraj entertained the crowd with a few hits in his 40-run knock. But South Africa got bowled out for 207 and lost the match by 38 runs as Netherlands pulled off the second upset of the tournament.
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