The Dutch team, which has not participated in the prestigious tournament since 2011, knew that a victory was essential to stay in the running for a spot in the World Cup to be held in India later this year.
Their win by a margin of 74 runs on the DLS (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern) method in Harare not only secured them the necessary points but also boosted their net run-rate, which could be crucial in the final standings.
Their batsmen delivered an impressive performance, with Vikramjit Singh scoring his first-ever century in one-day international cricket and Wesley Barresi contributing a rapid 97 off just 65 balls.
This helped the Netherlands amass a formidable total of 362-7 in 48 overs after being asked to bat first due to weather interruptions.
The Netherlands emerged victorious against Oman in the ICC World Cup 2023 Qualifiers
In response, Oman struggled to mount a successful run chase, despite Ayaan Khan’s unbeaten 105.
Bad light forced an early end to the match, with Oman reaching 246-6 in 44 overs.
Nonetheless, the Netherlands’ comfortable victory secured them the necessary points and kept their qualification hopes alive.
With the Super Six stage underway, the top two teams will earn a spot in the World Cup.
Sri Lanka has already qualified by defeating Zimbabwe, leaving one place up for grabs. Hosts Zimbabwe have a chance to secure that spot with a victory over Scotland on Tuesday.
However, if Scotland wins that match, it will set the stage for a high-stakes encounter between Scotland and the Netherlands on Thursday, where the winner will likely secure the final qualification spot.
The ICC World Cup 2023 will feature a total of ten teams and is scheduled to take place from October 5 to November 19.
The Netherlands’ victory over Oman in the qualifiers has boosted their chances of making a return to the global cricketing stage.
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