Exciting Encounter: ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023 – Zimbabwe vs Netherlands Match
Match Overview
Zimbabwe vs Netherlands match is a Group A Match where the host Zimbabwe is taking on the Dutch side of the Netherlands. The match would be played at Harare Sports Club in Harare on June 20. Zimbabwe is off to a fabulous start in this tournament as they beat Nepal comfortably by 8 wickets. The team is looking in good shape and would come into this contest with immense confidence. The Netherlands is playing their first game of this tournament, and their key players are missing since they are engaged in other international duties. They will look to put up a strong fight against the host.
Pitch Report
The pitch at the Harare Sports Club is balanced, offering equal opportunities for both batting and bowling. A previous high-scoring game suggests that a similar scenario may unfold. The team that wins the coin toss will probably choose to field, and we could witness a high-scoring match.
Teams Analysis
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has had a winning start and would like to extend their winning momentum. They have also maintained an undefeated streak in their last three games. The team secured a convincing victory by eight wickets in their inaugural World Cup qualifier match against Nepal. Although Nepal set a substantial target of 290 runs while batting first, Zimbabwe’s Richard Ngarava took four wickets to restrict them. Meanwhile, Kushal Bhurtel from Nepal played impressively and scored 99 runs.
In the chase for victory, captain Ervine’s exceptional performance with an unbeaten score of 121 ensured a triumphant opening for Zimbabwe in the World Cup qualifiers. Sean Williams played a brilliant knock of 102 runs with a tremendous strike rate of over 145. The two senior batsmen, captain Craig Ervine and Sean Williams, have performed exceptionally well. Sean scored the fastest ODI hundred by a Zimbabwean in just 70 balls.
The bowling unit looks settled and in form, featuring players like Ngarva, Muzarabani, W Masakadza, T Chatara, and other part-time bowlers such as S Raza and S Williams. Overall, Zimbabwe would enjoy the advantage of playing on their home turf, and the Netherlands needs to strategize properly before entering this game.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is playing its first game without key players Colin Ackermann, Fred Klaasen, Paul van Meekeren, and Vivian Kingma. The wicketkeeper-batsman Scott Edwards is leading the team. They would want to break their four-match losing streak in this game. The top order looks solid and serves as their main strength. V Singh and Max O’Dowd provide a strong start to the innings.
Teja Nidamanaru, Scott Edwards, and Bas de Leede handle the middle order. The bowling unit appears comparatively weaker in the absence of F Klaasen and V Kingma, which might pose a challenge for them in this opening match. In April 2023, they suffered a heavy defeat against the much stronger South African side, losing the two-match ODI series at home by 2-0.
Prior to that, in March 2023, the Netherlands toured Zimbabwe for a three-match ODI series, which they lost by 2-1. However, in the recently concluded World Cup Qualifier matches, they secured a victory against Ireland but lost to Sri Lanka by a decent margin. The year 2023 hasn’t been great for them so far, and they need to improve, especially in their bowling department.
Head-to-Head Records
Whenever these two sides have met, the contest has been evenly balanced, with both teams winning an equal number of matches. Out of the 6 matches played between them, both have won 3 matches each.
| Matches Played | ZIM won | NED won | Tie | No Result |
| 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Key Players to Watch
We will consider the stats from the ZIM vs NED three-match ODI series in March 2023 to understand how the players performed against the opposition.
Zimbabwe
| Player | Matches | Runs | Batting Average | Batting S. Rate | Wickets | Bowling Average |
| C Madande | 3 | 126 | 63 | 81.2 | ||
| S Williams | 2 | 120 | 60 | 95.2 | ||
| W Madhevere | 3 | 110 | 36.6 | 85.2 | 4 | 22.5 |
| S Raza | 3 | 5 | 25 | |||
| W Masakadza | 2 | 3 | 16.3 |
Netherlands
| Player | Matches | Runs | Batting Average | Batting S. Rate | Wickets | Bowling Average |
| M O’Dowd | 3 | 139 | 46.3 | 72.7 | ||
| T Nidamanaru | 3 | 128 | 64 | 100.7 | ||
| S Ahmad | 3 | 8 | 17.8 | |||
| S Edwards | 3 | 77 | 25.6 | 96.2 |
Squads
Team Zimbabwe
Craig Ervine (c), Wessly Madhevere, Joylord Gumbie, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Clive Madande (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Tendai Chatara, Blessing Muzarabani, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brad Evans
Team Netherlands
Max ODowd, Vikramjit Singh, Wesley Barresi, Scott Edwards (w/c), Teja Nidamanuru, Bas de Leede, Shariz Ahmad, Aryan Dutt, Logan van Beek, Vivian Kingma, Saqib Zulfiqar, Clayton Floyd, Ryan Klein, Michael Levitt, Noah Croes
ZIM vs NED 5th Match Fantasy Predictions
Zimbabwe
The wicketkeeper Clive Madande was the leading run-scorer in the three-match ODI series against the Netherlands. He could once again perform well at the top order. Sean Williams is a terrific all-rounder who can contribute with both bat and ball. He has the potential to score a century, as he did in the first game against Nepal, and also pick crucial wickets with his spin bowling.
Wessly Madhevere is another valuable all-rounder who can make an impact with his batting and bowling skills. He also took important wickets against the Netherlands. Muzarabani and Ngarva are the pace sensations of the Zimbabwe team and have been among the wicket-takers. If Zimbabwe bowls first, this duo can be lethal at the start of the innings.
Netherlands
The veteran and experienced player Max O’Dowd is a top-class batsman who performed well against Zimbabwe in the three-match ODI series. He was the leading run-scorer of the series and is expected to score crucial runs at the top. Teja Nidamanaru is another emerging player from the Netherlands, especially in the middle order.
He has had an impressive performance this year and was the second-leading run-scorer in the series against Zimbabwe. The leg-spinner Shariz Ahmad could be a game-changer in this match, especially if there is assistance for the spinners. He took 8 wickets in the series and was the leading wicket-taker. He is expected to shine with the ball.
Predicted Playing XI
Zimbabwe
Netherlands
Fantasy Playing XI
Based on the stats mentioned above, the fantasy team could be as follows:
Conclusion
The ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023 is underway, and this is going to be an exciting contest as Zimbabwe enters the match with two consecutive wins, while the Netherlands is on a four-match losing streak. The host team would enjoy the advantage of playing on their home ground and will rely on their home conditions. The Netherlands would want to avenge their series loss and start their campaign on a positive note. Can they break the host’s winning streak, or will Zimbabwe make it a hat-trick of wins? Only time will tell.
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