NED vs AFG: Afghanistan bowl Netherlands out for 179

NEW DELHI: Afghanistan's bowlers delivered a stellar performance by limiting the error-prone Netherlands to a mere 179 runs on Friday. The Netherlands, who won the toss and chose to bat, experienced a series of run-outs that derailed their innings.
Their struggles began with the early departure of 39-year-old opener Wesley Barresi, dismissed by spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the very first over.Max O'Dowd and Colin Ackermann managed to steady the ship briefly with a 70-run partnership for the second wicket. However, a string of run-outs severely hampered their progress.
O'Dowd's promising innings was halted at 42 when he fell victim to a pinpoint throw from Azmatullah Omarzai at fine leg. With the score at 92-2, Ackermann (29) was caught short of his crease, thanks to a sharp throw by Rashid Khan.
In a bizarre sequence of events, skipper Scott Edwards found himself run-out without scoring after losing sight of the ball while attempting a sweep. Mohammad Nabi and teenage wrist spinner Noor Ahmad then showcased their skills behind the stumps, dismissing Bas de Leede, Saqib Zulfiqar, and Logan van Beek.
The fourth run-out of the innings occurred when Sybrand Engelbrecht, who had compiled a steady 58 with six boundaries, couldn't beat Nabi's throw from midwicket. As a result, the Dutch found themselves at 152-8 before ultimately being bowled out after 46.3 overs, with Nabi shining as the top bowler with figures of 3-28.
With three wins to their name, Afghanistan has shown their mettle with victories over defending champions England, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. A win against the Dutch would propel them to eight points, putting them on equal footing with Australia and New Zealand, the current occupants of two of the semi-final qualifying positions.
India has already secured a spot in the last four, with South Africa also looking likely to join them. The Netherlands, on the other hand, must secure a victory on Friday to keep their campaign alive, having managed only two wins in six games thus far.