Saiteja Mukkamalla’s impressive 79 and a four-wicket haul by former India U-19 star Harmeet Singh led the United States to a comfortable 93-run victory over the Netherlands in a group league match of the T20 World Cup on Friday.
This marks the USA’s first-ever T20I win against the Netherlands.
How United States of America Beat Netherlands?
Mukkamalla’s 51-ball innings was the foundation of the USA’s competitive total of 196/6, while all-rounder Shubham Ranjane contributed significantly with an unbeaten 48 off 24 balls.
Left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh (4/21) didn’t deliver many unplayable balls, yet the Netherlands batters struggled as they were bowled out for 103 in 15.5 overs.
Harmeet’s figures were the best by a USA bowler in a T20 World Cup match. Notably, two of his wickets – opener Max O’Dowd
(13) and all-rounder Bas de Leede (23) – were caught off half-trackers. The other two wickets came from a flat and skiddy ball that beat rival skipper Scott Edwards’ defence and a straighter one that trapped Roelof van der Merwe in front.
Another left-arm spinner, Nosthush Kenjige, bowled one that stayed low, forcing opener Michael Levitt to play across it.
The Netherlands were never really in contention during their chase on a pitch that slowed down as the game progressed.
Earlier, Mukkamalla provided the early momentum with a 51-ball 79 before Ranjane’s late surge ensured a competitive total of 196 for 6 after 20 overs.
Mukkamalla added 55 runs for the second wicket with skipper Monank Patel (36) and another 54 for the fourth wicket with former Mumbai all-rounder Ranjane, who used the long handle effectively to push the total close to 200.
A former student of the cricket academy run by VVS Laxman in Hyderabad, Mukkamalla struck five fours and four sixes, particularly excelling with his hitting on the off-side, including maximums over covers.
His driving was exceptional, while Ranjane capitalised on the short-ball tactics of the Netherlands bowlers.
Former South Africa left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe was hit for a straight six by Mukkamalla. Ranjane, on the other hand, pulled both Bas de Leede and Logan van Beek.
Ranjane, who had scored a fifty against Pakistan, was in fine form, and while he and Mukkamalla were at the crease, a total above 200 seemed possible. However, van Beek and de Leede used clever changes of pace on a slow Chepauk track to rein things back.
De Leede, the son of former Netherlands seamer Tim de Leede, was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3 for 37.
(With inputs from Agencies)
