Bulawayo, July 6 All-rounder Bas de Leede, who produced an impressive all-round performance with his five-wicket haul and century and helped Netherlands qualify for 2023 ODI World Cup on Thursday, said the amazing feeling of making it to the ten-team mega event has left him speechless.
Player of the Match de Leede took 5/52 to keep Scotland to 277/9, and then overshadowed Brandon McMullen's 106 by hitting a superb 123 off 92 balls, laced with seven fours and five sixes at a strike-rate of 133.7, also his first ODI century.
His efforts meant Netherlands chased down 278 in 42.5 overs to beat Scotland by four wickets and pip them on net run rate to seal their spot in a 50-over World Cup for the fifth time and also for the first time since the 2011 tournament.
"We had a look at the targets, where we wanted to be at the halfway point. Maxy (Max O’Dowd) and Vikram (Vikramjit Singh) set the platform for the rest of us to finish it. The rate was 10 to 11 runs per over, so we had to go to the T20 mode, try as many runs as we could and see where it would take us. It's amazing, can't describe the feeling, it's going to be one big party tonight," said de Leede in the post-match presentation ceremony.
His team-mate, Logan van Beek, who hit the winning runs, said he is still soaking in the feeling of qualifying for the ODI World Cup. Netherlands came into the qualifying tournament on the back of missing many of their first-choice players due to their commitments with County Cricket in England.
"I'm honestly buzzing right down, just sitting with the boys, I'm shaking right now. To take it back, we had to get one off one, I just wanted to keep it down and run as fast as I could. We tried to build a culture, each one of us brought our own spirit. We overcame all obstacles, no one gave us a shot, but now we're going to the World Cup. All hail Bas de Leede," he said.
Opener Vikramjit Singh, who made a crucial 40, was also left speechless over Netherlands qualifying for the ODI World Cup from October 5 to November 19.
"I have got no words, this is the best feeling ever, we have worked so hard for the last five months, wishing to qualify, unreal. We were expecting these moments, these scenarios in the last five months. No words to explain," Singh said.
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