<\/p>\n
LUCKNOW: The Netherlands will aim to build momentum after their World Cup win over Bangladesh last time out and are banking on their knowledge of the conditions in Lucknow to help when they face Afghanistan, Dutch all-rounder Colin Ackermann said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The Dutch climbed off the bottom of the table into eighth spot with an 87-run victory over Bangladesh on Saturday and are familiar with the BRSABVE Stadium heading into Friday\u2019s clash at the venue having lost narrowly to Sri Lanka there.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously we\u2019ve got some momentum from our previous game against Bangladesh,\u201d Acker\u00admann told reporters. \u201cI think we\u2019re pretty lucky that we\u2019ve played here before at this venue.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think Afghanistan have played here before. So we\u2019re familiar to the conditions from our game [with] Sri Lanka. Hopefully that will give us a few positives leading into tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Netherlands\u2019 hopes of reaching the semi-finals remain slim despite winning two games at the same World Cup for the first time and Ackermann said they were yet to play the perfect match with their batting unit not firing consistently.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know our middle order and lower order are very capable of scoring runs towards the back end,\u201d Ackermann said. \u201cI think if we can set the game up as a top-order – the top three-four batters … It takes two guys to form a good partnership and we\u2019ll set up a very good score.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ackermann said the Netherlands would be cautious against Afghanistan\u2019s spin trio of Ras\u00adhid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Moham\u00admad Nabi. \u201cThey\u2019ve got three good spinners that have been successful in Twenty20 cricket,\u201d Ack\u00ade\u00adr\u00ad\u00admann added. \u201cThe 50-overs format is different.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve also got two or three very good seamers that are dangerous. So it\u2019s about getting through the powerplay first and then combating spin in the middle overs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Afghanistan face Australia and South Africa after playing the Netherlands and a couple of upset wins in their last three games would boost their slender hopes of making the semis.<\/p>\n
However, head coach Jonathan Trott would not dwell on that possibility despite masterminding stunning wins over defending champions England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not going to make the semi-finals by just talking about it,\u201d the former England batsman said. \u201cWe have to play good cricket. As long as we play good cricket, we\u2019ll give ourselves the best chance of being able to do that.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat starts tomorrow and how well we start tomorrow is going to be crucial and how well we finish.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Trott hailed team mentor and controversial former India skipper Ajay Jadeja as a crucial \u201csounding board\u201d as they keep up their push for a place in the semi-finals.<\/p>\n
Trott said Jadeja\u2019s experience of Indian conditions has proved key in a campaign which has yielded wins over defending champions England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n
Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2023<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" LUCKNOW: The Netherlands will aim to build momentum after their World Cup win over Bangladesh last time out and are banking on their knowledge of the conditions in Lucknow to help when they face Afghanistan, Dutch all-rounder Colin Ackermann said on Thursday. 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