Netherlands player tells Babar Azam 'make sure you win' after knocking out South Africa

In one of the biggest upsets seen at the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022, the Netherlands defeated South Africa and knocked them out of the competition in Adelaide on Sunday.

The Dutch won by 13 runs turning the subsequent game between Pakistan and Bangladesh into a virtual quarterfinal. The Netherlands' unexpected victory against the Proteas opened the door for both Pakistan and Bangladesh to qualify for the next stage of the competition.

After the match, the Netherlands and Pakistan players shared a heartwarming moment as the next game between Pakistan and Bangladesh was also slated to be held at the same stadium. Holland batter Tom Cooper was seen telling Pakistan captain Babar Azam to make sure they win their clash against Bangladesh and qualify for the semis, which will also help the Netherlands finish ahead of the Tigers in the Group 2 points table and secure automatic qualification for the next World Cup. 

"Now make sure you win then we finish fourth," Cooper was seen telling Babar to which the Pakistan captain responded with a nod and smile on his face. 

Pakistan defeated Bangladesh in the subsequent match at Adelaide Oval and not only ensured a semifinal spot for themselves but also helped the Netherlands finish fourth on the Group 2 points table. Now, the Netherlands will not have to play the qualifiers ahead of the next T20 World Cup to make it to the tournament as the top four teams of each group will get an automatic qualification. 

South Africa vs Netherlands

Batting first, the Netherlands posted 158 runs on the board, thanks to a fine knock from Colin Ackermann. The experienced campaigner played an unbeaten knock of 41 runs off 26 balls which included three fours and two sixes. Opener Stephan Myburgh also played a crucial knock of 37 runs off 30 balls, including seven boundaries. For South Africa, Keshav Maharaj bagged two wickets. South African batsmen got off to a fine start but were unable to convert them into big scores. 

Henrich Klassen scored 21 runs off 18 balls, and Rilee Rossouw led all Proteas scorers with 25 runs. Brandon Glover had an outstanding bowling performance for the Netherlands, taking three wickets for nine runs in just two overs. Fred Klaassen and Bas de Liddle contributed with two wickets each. Ackermann's tremendous performance with the ball earned him the title of player of the game.

Image: Twitter