Van Beek's Super Over fireworks dent West Indies' World Cup hopes

 

Nidamanuru's 76-ball 111 helped the Netherlands tie the match after setting a target of 375 to win.

Netherlands 374 for 9 (Nidamanuru 111, Edwards 67, Chase 3-77) level with West Indies 374 for 6 (Pooran 104*, King 76, Zulfikar 2-43). Netherlands won the super over

 

Player of the match Logan van Beek said, "I really can't explain it." Chasing 375 against the West Indies, the Netherlands needed 205 runs from the remaining 125 balls with only six wickets in hand. Who knew they would score 204 and the game would have to be pushed into a super over?

 

And if you thought that was enough excitement for the day, Van Beek scored 4, 6, 4, 6, 6, 4 to break the record for most runs in a one-over eliminator. In response, West Indies lost two wickets for eight runs and that's all. The Netherlands secured two crucial points in the Super Six of the World Cup qualifiers, leaving the West Indies with nothing to advance after losing to both the Netherlands and Zimbabwe. The two-time World Cup champions are now faltering, with their hopes of making it to the World Cup hanging in the balance.

Before van Beek batted like a free spirit, it was Teja Ndamanuru and his captain Scott Edwards who put on 143 for the fifth wicket to give the Netherlands hope in the most desperate of circumstances. Only 90 deliveries were consumed in that stand. However, the West Indies stormed back to take 3 for 14, leaving the Netherlands needing 30 runs from the last two overs.

 

At the crease was none other than Van Beek. The first three valid balls of the 49th over were bowled by Roston Chase, missing for 4, 6, 4. Nine was needed off six balls. Four more from Van Beek. But there was a twist. He swiped the last ball to mid-on for a single, where Jason Holder fell to his right to catch the ball. It was given out only after the third umpire ensured that Alzarri Joseph had not overstepped.

 

During the run chase, Van Beek scored 28 runs at a strike rate of 200, after which Ndamanuru scored 111 runs in just 76 balls with 11 fours and three sixes. Meanwhile, Edwards scored 67 off 47 deliveries. Not only did he hit boundaries at will, but he also troubled the West Indies fielders, turning one into two and two into three. Every run counted in a remarkable Super Over victory.

 

 

The game was designed by West Indies centurion Nicholas Pooran. After laying a solid foundation following half-centuries from Brandon King and Johnson Charles, Pooran put on 108 runs for the fourth wicket with Shai Hope in less than 13 overs.

 

Puran was playing at one time scoring 7 runs in 17 balls. After this, he hit Saqib Zulfikar for a four and a six in the 35th over. In the 39th, he hit the same bowler again with a six and a four, followed it up with another boundary off Vivian Kingma in the 40th to complete his half-century.

 

West Indies added 118 runs in the last ten overs. Pooran completed his second century in a World Cup qualifier, dismissing Aryan Dutt for 20 in the final over to take West Indies to 374, before Keemo Paul took over. Who knew that even this would not prove to be enough?