T20 World Cup | Bas de Leede steers the Dutch to win over Namibia

T20 World Cup | Bas de Leede steers the Dutch to win over Namibia

Bas de Leede’s unbeaten 72 (48b, 5x4, 4x6) led the Netherlands to a seven-wicket win against Namibia in a T20 World Cup Group-A encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

In response to Namibia’s 156 for eight, the Dutch side took 18 overs to ease to the target. Having lost to Pakistan in the opening match, Scott Edwards and Co. have got off the mark in the marquee event.

While Max O’Dowd departed early in the chase, de Leede took firm control at No. 3 to ensure there were no jitters in the Netherlands camp. It was redemption for de Leede, whose notorious record of the most expensive figures in ODI history – 10-0-115-2 – came against Australia in the 2023 World Cup at this very ground.

Belonging to a cricketing family, the 26-year-old, whose father Tim de Leede represented the country in three ODI World Cups, got going with a six off Max Heingo in the fifth over.

If Louren Steenkamp had held on to Colin Ackermann’s catch off J.J. Smit in the 10th over, the Netherlands may have had to work harder for victory. But the reprieve – he was on 13 at the time – allowed Ackermann to forge a 70-run stand with de Leede for the third wicket. The latter hit the winning runs, deftly steering a full ball for four through short third, in the company of Edwards.

“Coming from a cricketing family in the Netherlands, it is really special to be able to perform and hopefully make my family proud,” de Leede said.