Match number 6 of the ICC World Cup 2023 between the Netherlands vs New Zealand took place on October 9 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
The Black Caps have done an amazing job and secured a 223-run victory.
New Zealand currently holds the top position in the ICC World Cup ranking table.
See Ranking: ICC World Cup Points Table 2023 Update
An all-around performance by the Black Caps solidified their position at the top. After defeating England in the World Cup opener, the Kiwis secured a one-sided victory over the Dutch, thanks to Mitchell Santner’s exceptional performance with both the ball and the bat.
In pursuit of the 323-run target, the Dutch got off to a shaky start with their openers, Vikramjit Singh and Max O’Dowd, failing to provide a substantial beginning.
However, experienced middle-order batsman Colin Ackermann played a vital role by scoring 69 off 73 balls, but his efforts were insufficient as the Dutch continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, ultimately getting all-out for 223 runs.
Skipper and wicketkeeper-batsman Scott Edwards was the second-highest scorer for his team, contributing 30 runs.
Mitchell Santner claimed the first five-wicket haul of the World Cup, finishing with figures of five for 59 in 10 overs, while Matt Henry took three wickets, and Rachin Ravindra picked up one.
When batting first, the top-five New Zealand batsmen, Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, and skipper Tom Latham—all made significant contributions to put their team in a dominant position.
In the last 10 overs of their innings, New Zealand lost two wickets quickly. However, Santner’s late strikes helped the Black Caps reach a total of 322 runs in 50 overs. Santner himself scored 36 runs off just 17 deliveries, including five boundaries.
In their next match, New Zealand will face Bangladesh on October 13 on the spinning wicket of Chennai, while the Netherlands will take on South Africa on October 17 in Dharamshala.
Here are the playing XIs for both teams
New Zealand:
Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (c & wk), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
Netherlands:
Vikramjit Singh, Max ODowd, Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Scott Edwards (c & wk), Sybrand Engelbrecht, Roelof van der Merwe, Ryan Klein, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren