Having restricted the UAE to 111 for 8, the Netherlands appeared to be cruising to two points until Junaid Siddique (3 for 24) threw a spanner in the works
Geelong: United Arab Emirates 111-8 Netherlands 112-7 – Netherlands win by three wickets
Netherlands captain Scott Edwards kept a cool head to ensure his side bounced back from a winless 2021 T20 World Cup campaign to edge past a resilient United Arab Emirates side by three wickets.
The game looked all wrapped up at the halfway stage as the Netherlands made use of favourable conditions to restrict their opponents to 111 for 8 but an inspired UAE bowling performance ensured a low-scoring thriller went down to the final over.
The UAE, making their first World Cup appearance since 2014, won the toss and elected to bat. However, they faltered in the face of tough conditions and a Netherlands bowling attack boasting international and county experience.
Top-scorer Muhammad Waseem's knock of 41 (47) epitomised the UAE's struggles to score at any great speed but the value of his innings became apparant during as the Dutch fell foul of the deteriorating pitch conditions. Kashif Daud (15 off 14) was the only UAE batter to score at more than a run-a-ball.
Junaid Siddique derailed the Netherlands' chase [Martin Keep/Getty Images]
Fred Klaassen (2 for 13) and Bas de Leede (3 for 19), whose three wickets all came in the 19th over, ripped the UAE apart at the death - CP Rizwan's slide slumped from 91 for 2 to 111 for 8 as their attempts to take risks to reach a competitive total failed. Tim Pringle, however, was the standout performer, taking 1 for 13 with his left-arm spin.
Max O'Dowd (23 off 18) continued the Netherlands' dominance and piled pressure on the UAE bowlers in the powerplay Seamer Junaid Siddique (3 for 24), however, removed the opener in the sixth over to leave Netherlands two down and give the UAE some hope.
Just as stability was being ensured by de Leede and Colin Ackermann, the former was caught by Rizwan, the skipper taking the catch with the ball merely centimetres from the grass.
And Siddique turned the game on its head in the 14th over, removing Tom Cooper and Roelof van der Merwe in the space of three balls to reduce the Netherlands to 76 for 7 - he should have had a third but Rizwan put down Pringle.
The UAE maintained the pressure until the final over, with the Netherlands requiring six runs from six balls, but Edwards (16 off 19) saw his side over the line with a ball to spare.