The Netherlands defeated South Africa by 38 runs at the Cricket World Cup on Tuesday, beating a Test nation for the first time at the tournament. South Africa, one of the tournament favourites, sat in the shadows of the Himalayas chasing 246 to win from a rain-reduced 43 overs after Dutch captain Scott Edwards made a crucial 78 not out. In November last year, the Dutch crashed South Africa out of the T20 World Cup in Australia. The victory was the second major shock of the World Cup in three days after Afghanistan defeated defending champions England on Sunday.
A look at six other stunning victories in the tournament’s history:
Zimbabwe defeated Australia by 13 runs, Nottingham, June 9, 1983 – In their first ever One-Day International, Zimbabwe stunned an Australian side featuring the likes of Allan Border, Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson in the opening match of the tournament at Trent Bridge.
Batting first, Zimbabwe rode on the back of an unbeaten 69 from Duncan Fletcher on their way to 239-6 in 60 overs.
Kepler Wessels top scored for Australia but they fell short as Fletcher then starred with the ball at 4-42 after the Aussies appeared to be cruising to 61 without losing at one point.
India defeated West Indies by 43 runs, Lord’s, June 25, 1983 – India shocked the two-time defending champions West Indies in the final after arriving at the World Cup with just 17 wins in their first nine years as an ODI team.
India managed to score just 183 with Kris Srikkanth being the top scorer with a modest 38 as the West Indian pace battery of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding and Malcolm Marshall showed no mercy.
But then Mohinder Armanath (3-12) and Madan Lal (3-31) smothered the flamboyant West Indian batsmen, while Viv Richards top-scored 33.
Kenya defeated West Indies by 73 runs, Pune, February 29, 1996 – Kenya struggled to reach 166 all out in this group stage, with Courtney Walsh and Roger Harper taking three wickets each.
But in what was billed at the time as one of the biggest shocks ever, the African nation saw opening bowler Rajab Ali claim the prize wicket of Brian Lara for just eight runs.
Only Harper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose 19 runs covered 48 balls, reached double figures for West Indies, who were dismissed for just 93.
Maurice Odombe played the captain’s role with 3-15 from his 10 overs.
Ireland defeated Pakistan by 3 weeks (D/L method), Kingston, March 17, 2007 – Ireland celebrated St Patrick’s Day in style by knocking out Pakistan at the 2007 World Cup in Jamaica.
The Irish attack bowled out the Asian giants for just 132, with future England pacer Boyd Rankin taking three wickets.
Ireland suffered a collapse of their own before Kevin O’Brien and Trent Johnston saw them to victory.
But there was a grim postscript to the match when Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, the former England batsman, died in his hotel room that evening.
Ireland beats England by 3 weeks, Bengaluru, March 2, 2011 – England amassed a seemingly imposing 327 for eight, with Jonathan Trott making 92 and Ian Bell 81, although John Mooney’s four-wicket haul prevented a bigger total.
In reply, Ireland lost skipper William Porterfield before they had scored a point, but Kevin O’Brien took his chance to shine by smashing a World Cup hundred off just 50 balls, with 13 fours and six sixes.
After being bowled out, Mooney’s 33 not out secured a stunning win with five balls to spare.
Afghanistan defeated England by 69 runs, New Delhi, October 15, 2023 – Afghanistan recovered from a mid-innings wobble to post 284, with opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s dashing 80 setting the platform against a wayward English attack before wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil added a crucial 58.
Defending champions England lost wickets regularly as they clashed against the Afghan spinners, with Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi doing most of the damage on a turning track.
Once Harry Brook fell for 66, only some late fireworks prevented England from a wider margin of defeat as Afghanistan broke a fourteen-match World Cup losing streak.
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