ICC World Cup 2023, IND vs NED | 5 Player Battles to Watch Out For
India to take on Netherlands on Sunday [X.Com]
Having already secured a spot in the semi-finals, the Indian team is poised to face the Netherlands in their final group stage match of the 2023 World Cup on the eve of Diwali at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
This game marks the concluding league match for both India and the Netherlands in the World Cup 2023. India's flawless record of eight victories in eight games guarantees their place in the semi-finals. The last league encounter holds little significance for India, considering they have already clinched a semi-final berth. In contrast, the Netherlands, despite winning only two out of eight games, looks back at a season filled with noteworthy performances.
While the Men in Blue aim to maintain an unblemished record before entering the semi-finals, the Dutch side seeks a victory to secure automatic qualification for the Champions Trophy 2025.
With relatively little at stake, India may consider making strategic changes, with players like Prasidh Krishna, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, and Ishan Kishan on the periphery awaiting an opportunity. However, given the stellar form of the current lineup, the coaching staff faces a dilemma in deciding who to rest.
On the flip side, the Dutch team has experienced a season to remember, securing wins against South Africa and Bangladesh. Placed at the bottom of the league table with two victories in eight games, the Netherlands has displayed strength in their bowling unit. Their bowling unit has a lot of variety, yet the challenge of facing India's star-studded batting lineup at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, looms large.
Despite the evident gap in team strength, several matchups in the upcoming game warrant close attention. Here are five such player battles set to unfold in Bengaluru tomorrow.
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Rohit Sharma vs Logan van Beek
Rohit Sharma. (AP)
Van Beek has been a crucial component of the Dutch side in this tournament, securing 12 wickets in seven appearances. Whether with the new ball or the old ball, he possesses the ability to take wickets in any phase of the game. Van Beek is poised to engage in a battle with Rohit Sharma, who has been in sublime form with the bat. Rohit has taken the attack to all opposition bowlers thus far, and his approach won't change against the Dutch. The Dutch pacer has a knack for claiming crucial wickets. Can he dismiss Rohit early and deliver England a significant blow?
Virat Kohli vs Roelof van der Merwe
Virat Kohli. (AP)
Kohli will return to his second home, entering the game with a truckload of runs already scored in the tournament. Nothing specific has troubled Kohli so far. That's when he's likely to face a spirited 38-year-old veteran left-arm spinner from the Netherlands, Roelof van der Merwe, who just keeps going on and on. He might not have tasted the amount of success he might have liked in the World Cup, but it has never been for a lack of effort. Van der Merwe has claimed five wickets in the tournament so far, but it’s a fact that he loves a challenge. Bowling to Kohli will be one. Even though the South Africa-born cricketer is not in great form, he can still be a threat to Kohli.
Sybrand Engelbrecht vs Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami. (AP)
Engelbrecht has been one of the big pluses for the Netherlands in the batting department. He has come in and held the innings together on a few occasions. The right-handed batter has faced many world-class bowlers in the tournament so far, but Mohammed Shami is a different kettle of fish. No one, literally no one, has been able to crack the Shami code yet. He keeps things simple, but for a batter, it doesn't seem simple. If and when Shami bowls to Engelbrecht, how the Dutch batter tackles what could be the toughest challenge of his short international career so far.
Scott Edwards vs Ravindra Jadeja
Scott Edwards. (AP)
Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards has played a couple of very good knocks for his side. He scored an unbeaten 78 off 69 balls in the famous win over South Africa in Dharamsala. Edwards also contributed a valiant 68 in the impressive 87-run win over Bangladesh. After poor games against Afghanistan and England, he will be keen to produce the goods again. To stop the Dutch skipper from playing another captain's innings, Ravindra Jadeja will come into the frame. After his magical spell of bowling against South Africa, where he claimed a five-wicket haul, Jadeja will be high on confidence and could well pose problems for Edwards.
Shubman Gill vs Aryan Dutt
Aryan Dutt. (AP)
Playing his first World Cup, the number one ranked ODI batter in the world, Shubman Gill, has managed to complement his partner Rohit Sharma well at the top. He has provided the Men in Blue with solid starts and has scored 219 runs at an average of 36.50 and a strike rate of 96.90. Whenever Gill has managed to play out the first ten overs, he has scored a substantial innings.
It's important for the Netherlands to dismiss Gill early, and for that, skipper Edwards can bring in his most reliable spinner, Aryan Dutt. The Dutch off-spinner has proven to be a model of consistency with the new ball and has provided control upfront for his side. He currently has the fourth-best economy for any bowler in the powerplay in this WC (4.7).
 "Vaibhav Tripathi")
