The Netherlands put up a good show in patches against Pakistan in their ODI World Cup 2023 campaign opener against Pakistan but lost by a margin of 81 runs. Bas de Leede was the star performer for the Dutch side as he took a four-wicket haul and then scored a half-century in the unsuccessful run chase. He was not the first all-rounder to do this in World Cup. However, the 23-year-old became the first to achieve the combination of four or more wickets and a half-century in two consecutive ODIs in the history of the format that spans over five decades.
De Leede had taken a fifer and scored 123 runs against Scotland in the World Cup 2023 Qualifier earlier this year in Zimbabwe. He followed it up with a four-fer and 67-run knock against Babar Azam-led Pakistan at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad on October 6.
De Leede is the seventh all-rounder in ODI World Cup history to take four or more wickets and score fifty-plus runs in a match.
Here is the list of other all-rounders who have achieved the rare feat -
Ian Botham (England) - 4/31 and 53 vs Australia, 1992
Maurice Odumbe (Kenya) - 4/38 and 52 not out vs Bangladesh, 2003
Yuvraj Singh (India) - 5/31 and 50 not out vs Ireland, 2011
Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) - 5/29 and 51 vs Afghanistan, 2019
Wahab Riaz (Pakistan) - 4/45 and 54 not out vs Zimbabwe, 2015
Neil Johnson (Zimbabwe) - 4/42 and 59 vs Kenya, 1999
De Leede provided double breakthroughs twice to the Scott Edwards-led side. He started off with the wicket of Mohammad Rizwan in the middle overs. In the same over, Iftikhar Ahmed returned to the pavillion. Later in the death overs, he returned to break the partnership with Shadab Khan's wicket. On the next delivery, he dismissed Hasan Ali as well. He conceded 62 runs from nine overs. He helped the Dutch side bowl out Pakistan for 286.
In the run chase of 287, De Leede walked in to bat at no.4. He shared a crucial 70-run partnership for the third wicket with opener Vikramjit Singh. When the two were batting, it seemed like the Netherlands would take the game deep but too many wickets in the middle overs led to them getting bowled out for 205 in 41 overs.
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