Netherlands continued their strong home form in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, beating Nepal by 57 runs at Sportpark Maarschalkerweerd (SV Kampong), Utrecht on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Chasing a competitive 226, Rohit Paudel’s Nepal never quite found their rhythm and folded for 168 in 48 overs, handing the Dutch their second win over Nepal in this tri-series window and further cementing their position in the top half of the League 2 table — a spot that matters enormously with direct World Cup Qualifier places on the line for the top four sides.
Here’s a full breakdown of the match, the standout performers, and our player ratings from the contest.
Match Snapshot
- Toss: Nepal won the toss and chose to field first
- Netherlands: 225/9 (50 overs)
- Nepal: 168 all out (48 overs), chasing 226
- Result: Netherlands won by 57 runs
- Player of the Match: Noah Croes (NED) — 70 off 93 balls
- Venue: Sportpark Maarschalkerweerd, Utrecht
Key Moments
Croes anchors the innings. After Nepal’s new-ball bowlers made early inroads into the Dutch top order, Noah Croes settled things down in the middle overs with a composed 70 off 93 deliveries, giving Netherlands the platform to push toward a defendable 225/9. It was enough to earn him the Player of the Match award.
A record-breaking outing for de Leede. Bas de Leede took his 29th career ODI catch during the match, moving past Peter Borren to become the Netherlands player with the most catches in ODI history — a quiet but historic personal milestone in the field.
Nepal’s chase never gets going. Set 226 to win, Nepal’s batting lineup struggled to build the partnerships needed against tight Dutch bowling, and the innings unraveled well short of the target, closing at 168 in 48 overs.
Lion-Cachet seals it at the death. Zach Lion-Cachet was the pick of the Dutch bowlers in the closing stages, finishing with figures of 2/21 from his 7 overs, including the final wicket — Lalit Rajbanshi bowled for a duck — to confirm the 57-run win.
Late resistance from Dhami. With the game already slipping away, Hemant Dhami top-scored in the closing overs for Nepal, unbeaten on 15 off 26 balls when the innings ended, offering a small glimpse of fight in an otherwise disappointing chase.
Player Ratings
Netherlands
| Player | Rating | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Noah Croes | 9/10 | Scored 70 (93), Player of the Match. |
| Bas de Leede | 8/10 | All-round contribution; set Netherlands ODI catches record. |
| Zach Lion-Cachet | 8/10 | Took 2/21 in 7 overs. |
| Scott Edwards (C) | 7/10 | Led well and supported the chase. |
Nepal
| Player | Rating | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Hemant Dhami | 6.5/10 | Unbeaten 15; fought till the end. |
| Karan KC | 6/10 | Bowled well with the new ball. |
| Rohit Paudel (C) | 5/10 | Quiet outing with the bat. |
| Lalit Rajbanshi | 4/10 | Dismissed for a duck. |
(Ratings reflect overall match impact based on available performance data; full ball-by-ball figures for every player were still being finalized at the time of writing.)
What This Means for the Standings
The win keeps Netherlands firmly in contention for one of the four direct qualification spots to the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, while Nepal will need to regroup quickly — they were already coming off a heartbreaking three-run loss to Namibia earlier in this window. With more League 2 fixtures still to come between these sides, both teams have plenty on the line before the tournament’s conclusion.
Final Word
This was a match Netherlands controlled for long periods, built around Noah Croes’s calm, well-paced innings and a disciplined bowling effort to close it out. For Nepal, it’s back to the drawing board — but with more League 2 cricket on the horizon, there’s still time to put things right.
Stay tuned to Jungle Book Online for more cricket analysis, player ratings, and match breakdowns.
