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Netherlands' in-form opener Michael Levitt went berserk in the tri-series clash against Namibia in Nepal. Levitt smashed 10 sixes in his record-breaking 135-run knock to help Netherlands post a massive total of 247/5. Namibia batters could not put up a fight as they lost the match by 59 runs.
Levitt slows down in powerplay overs
Dutch skipper Scott Edwards won the toss and opted to bat first in Kirtipur. Levitt got off the mark with a six on the second ball of the innings. In the third over, Ruben Trumpelmann dismissed Max ODowd for a single-digit score. Levitt was slow in the powerplay overs. Sybrand Engelbrecht hit Bernard Scholtz for two fours and a six. Levitt smashed Jan Frylinck for two sixes and two fours in the ninth over. He reached his half-century with a six in the next over. In the next over, Engelbrecht completed his half-century as well.
Levitt’s carnage-filled knock
Levitt accelerated like a sports car after scoring his fifty. He did not spare Trumpelmann or Frylinck. In the 15th over, he reached his maiden T20I century from 49 balls. He did not stop there and smashed Peter-Daniel Blingaut for 26 runs in the 17th over including two sixes and three fours. In the 18th over, Frylinck ended Levitt's rampage. He was caught at long-on. He scored 135 runs from 62 balls featuring 11 fours and 10 sixes.
Record-breaking partnership
Levitt’s 135-run knock is the highest score by a Dutch batter and eighth overall. The 20-year-old is the first batter to score a T20I century against Namibia. He shared a 193-run partnership with Engelbrecht for the second wicket. It is the highest second-wicket partnership in T20I cricket's history. Among full-member nations, the record belonged to Sanju Samson and Deepak Hooda who shared a 176-run partnership against Ireland in 2022.
Nidamunuru’s fiery cameo
In the penultimate over, Edwards was dismissed by Trumpelmann for a single-digit score. Teja Nidamunuru came to bat and launched three consecutive sixes into the crowd. In the last over, Engelbrecht was dismissed by Ben Shikongo. He scored 75 runs from 40 balls including seven fours and five sixes. On the next ball, Nidamanuru was run out. Wesley Barresi ended the innings with a boundary. The Netherlands posted 247/5, their highest total in the format.
Namibia fail in run chase
Namibia's run chase did not get off to an ideal start. Malan Kruger (3) was the first to ball. Michael van Lingen (7) was dismissed in the fourth over but JJ Smit and JP Kotze tried to make use of the powerplay overs. Smit hit Fred Klaassen for two sixes but departed in the same over. Kotze hit a few boundaries before he got bowled for a 15-ball 26. Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton who recently broke the record for fastest T20I hundred was dismissed for 11 by Timm van der Gugten.
Frylinck attacked in the middle overs to get Namibia close to the target. Roelof van der Merwe dismissed Trumpelmann (19). In the 16th over, Frylinck got bowled for a 27-ball 42 by Gugten. In the penultimate over, Zane Green smashed Merwe for two fours and as many sixes. Namibia managed to post 188/7 with Green unbeaten for 42 off 20 balls. Namibia lost to the Netherlands by 59 runs.
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