World Cup Qualifier 2023: Vikramjit Singh’s stunning ton hand Netherlands clinical victory over Oman

Vikramjeet Singh. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Netherlands kept their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 hopes alive with a Vikramjit Singh-inspired 74-run win (DLS) over Oman. Singh’s maiden ODI century powered the Netherlands to a mammoth total as they set Oman 363 win.

Ayaan Khan responded with a ton of his own, but it proved in vain as Oman failed to pick up their first win of the Super Six stage. The race for the second qualification spot will now go down to the wire, though Netherlands require Zimbabwe to lose against Scotland and to win their final game to stand any chance of making it through.

Singh ton sets up Netherlands

Having been put into bat by Oman, Netherlands’ openers Singh and Max O’Dowd made a patient start, including sitting through a rain delay that shortened the match to 48 overs a side. The duo’s century partnership was brought up off 103 balls before O’Dowd was bowled by Ayaan Khan for 35, ending the stand at 117.

Singh continued to motor as he reached his maiden ODI century from 102 balls before he was eventually undone holing out to mid-on having made 110 with 11 fours and two sixes. Scott Edwards could not add to his three consecutive scores of 67 as he was caught by Kaleemullah for four to become Mohammad Nadeem’s second wicket.

With the Netherlands needing to improve their net run rate, Bas de Leede supercharged his side’s scoring, making a quickfire 39 from 19. Having reached his half-century off 43 balls, Wesley Barresi then powered to 97 from 65 balls before he was caught behind agonisingly close to a century.

Barresi was the first of three wickets in three overs as Oman mounted a mini-fightback but they could not stop the Netherlands reaching 362 for seven.

In pursuit of what would have been their record chase, Oman lost regular wickets with Jatinder Singh run out on 17 before fellow opener Kashyap Prajapati departed for 25 to leave Oman 78 for three. After Mohammad Nadeem was bowled by Aryan Dutt for 16, Ayaan Khan and Shoaib Khan rebuilt, putting on 112 for the fifth wicket, but they could not stop their side from falling well behind the required run rate.

Ayaan Khan reached his hundred off 84 balls having benefitted from several slices of luck to get there as he was dropped three times early in his innings. And the all-rounder was there at the end as bad light ended the game prematurely with Oman 74 runs from their DLS target. The Netherlands now face an anxious wait to see if Zimbabwe defeat Scotland tomorrow before they take on Scotland on Thursday.

Zimbabwe one win away

Hosts Zimbabwe can confirm their place at ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 with a win over Scotland in Bulawayo. Super Six table-toppers Sri Lanka qualified for the showpiece in India on Sunday and the Chevrons sit two points behind them in second.

Their biggest competitors are their opponents on Tuesday, Scotland, who are in third with four points, but they do have an extra game to play. In Harare, Ireland will take on Nepal to decide who finishes seventh, with the latter hoping to better their highest previous finish at the Qualifier of eighth.

Scores in brief

Netherlands beat Oman at Harare Sports Club by 74 runs (DLS method)

Netherlands 362/7 in 48 overs (Vikramjit Singh 110, Wesley Barresi 97; Bilal Khan 3/75, Mohammad Nadeem 2/36)
Oman 246/6 in 44 overs (Ayaan Khan 105 not out, Shoaib Khan 46; Aryan Dutt 3/31, Ryan Kelin 2/34)