The Netherlands cricket team are all prepared for their third match of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 against South Africa. Notably the game is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 17, at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala. As the cricket fever takes over the state of Himachal Pradesh, the Dutch team have already arrived at the destination.
Interestingly enough, post their arrival, the Netherlands players seemed to have immersed themselves in the vibrant Himachali culture while they were visiting the picturesque HPCA Dharamshala Stadium. In a video posted by the HPCA, the Dutch players were seen dancing to the folk songs of Himachal. Moreover, they were also exploring the local cuisines the state has to offer to the special guests.
Netherlands Cricketers embrace the Himachali Vibes at HPCA Dharamshala Stadium: Our beloved guests have been soaking in the rich Himachali culture during their visit to the picturesque HPCA Dharamshala Stadium. From savouring local cuisine to grooving to Folk Tunes.
#hpca pic.twitter.com/YRCI835hA7
— HPCA (@himachalcricket) October 12, 2023
“Netherlands Cricketers embrace the Himachali Vibes at HPCA Dharamshala Stadium: Our beloved guests have been soaking in the rich Himachali culture during their visit to the picturesque HPCA Dharamshala Stadium. From savouring local cuisine to grooving to Folk Tunes,” the HPCA mentioned in their tweet on their ‘X’ handle.
Netherlands have already lost two games in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023
The Scott Edwards-led side have played two matches so far in this prestigious tournament, but unfortunately, they were defeated comfortably by Pakistan and New Zealand in both matches. However, they had an impressive performance during the qualifiers held in Zimbabwe, which secured their qualification for the World Cup.
Regarding the performances of the Netherlands in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023, they have not been up to par, especially in terms of their batting. They have struggled to put up sufficient runs on the board to challenge their opponents.
In their first match against Pakistan, they had a promising start by taking three early wickets in the powerplay. However, their bowlers lacked discipline, allowing Pakistan to set a good total on the scoreboard. Even during the chase, they seemed to have a chance of winning the game, but their middle-order batters crumbled under pressure, resulting in a missed opportunity.
In their last game against New Zealand, they were comprehensively thrashed by the Kiwis. Moving forward, if they want to make an impact against a strong team like South Africa in their third match, their players, especially the batters, will need to elevate their performance and contribute significantly with the bat to provide a good total for their bowlers.