Cricket : Van Beek’s Super Over fireworks put West Indies’ World Cup hopes on the line

ESPNcricinfo
“I can’t really explain it,” Player of the Match Logan van Beek said. The Netherlands, chasing 375 against West Indies, were deep in trouble with 205 required from the remaining 125 balls with only six wickets in hand. Who would have known they would end up getting 204 of them in a frenetic finish that would force the game into a Super Over?

And if you thought that was enough excitement for the day, van Beek bashed 4, 6, 4, 6, 6, 4 to smash the record for most runs in a one-over eliminator. In reply, West Indies lost two wickets for eight runs, and that was it.

The Netherlands took two vital points into the Super Six of the World Cup Qualifier, leaving West Indies with nothing to carry forward after being beaten by both Netherlands and Zimbabwe. The two-time World Cup champions are now teetering, their hopes of making the World Cup proper hanging by a thread.

Before van Beek batted like a free spirit, it was Teja Nidamanuru and his captain Scott Edwards who made that finish possible, adding 143 for the fifth wicket to give Netherlands hope from the most helpless of situations. That stand consumed only 90 deliveries. West Indies stormed back, though, taking 3 for 14 in a hurry to leave the Netherlands needing 30 from the last two overs.

Summarized scores: Netherlands 374 for 9 (Nidamanuru 111, Edwards 67, Chase 3-77) tied with West Indies 374 for 6 (Pooran 104*, King 76, Zulfiqar 2-43). The Netherlands won the Super Over