Netherlands Made History - Chased 190 Target In Just 13.5 Overs

Netherlands Made History.....Chased 190 Target In Just 13.5 Overs. T20 World Cup 21-03-2014




Netherlands pulled off one of the best chases in Twenty20 cricket, chasing 190 in 13.5 overs to break the hearts of their opponents Ireland and Group B rivals Zimbabwe, who were watching with bated breath, to progress to the Super 10 of the World T20. Netherlands needed to achieve the formidable target in 14.2 overs to vault from No. 3 to No. 1 in the group on net run-rate, which meant they had to bat in high gear throughout.
Stephan Myburgh gave Netherlands belief that they could pull it off with an electric fifty; Tom Cooper proved the team had the back-up after Myburgh departed, and the final flourish was delivered by Wesley Barresi, who ensured qualification with a massive six over midwicket with three balls left.
After Cooper blazed six sixes in his 45, he pulled a short one from Tim Murtagh to Kevin O'Brien at deep square leg, giving Ireland a lifeline when they desperately needed one. Netherlands were anyway coasting towards the target, needing 29 off 52 balls but merely attaining it wasn't going to bring a smile to their faces. What mattered was if they could attain it in the next 18 balls. Only three more runs were scored when that Murtagh over ended, piling on the anxiety for Netherlands.
The first three balls in the next over were uneventful for Netherlands but it all changed when Barresi edged O'Brien to the third-man boundary. Two balls later, Ben Cooper siphoned off six more from the runs required with a blow over deep midwicket. Ireland needed to keep them under control for the next eight deliveries but Murtagh and Ireland hadn't yet seen all of the carnage.
Barresi made room and smashed the second ball of the over over the sightscreen, making the equation a more manageable seven off six balls. He then clobbered a four over extra cover, bringing it down to less than a run a ball for the first time. A length ball was then biffed over deep midwicket and Netherlands had pulled off the improbable, leading to wild celebrations, having jumped from third place to first in the group.

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