Borren, Kervezee shine in big win for Netherlands

Netherlands 156 for 1 (Kervezee 83*, Swart 42*) beat Afghanistan 153 (Nabi 41, Borren 4-32, Cooper 3-11) by nine wickets
Scorecard

Afghanistan were outplayed by Netherlands in Sharjah, going down by nine wickets. A four-wicket haul by Peter Borren, the right-arm seamer, restricted Afghanistan to 153, before Alexie Kervezee smashed an unbeaten 83 to chase the target within 27 overs.

Afghanistan lost the early wicket of Karim Sadiq, caught behind trying to pull Borren. Javed Ahmadi tore in to Mudassar Bukhari the following over, hitting him for a six and two fours. Ahmadi, however, didn't last long as he became Borren's second victim, caught at short midwicket off an inside edge to his pads. Borren was on a hat-trick when he trapped the captain Nawroz Mangal lbw. Afghanistan were in trouble at 54 for 4 before the tenth over and needed a recovery stand.

Asghar Stanikzai and Mohammad Nabi then added 53 for the fifth wicket at just under four an over. Pieter Seelar, the left-arm spinner, broke the partnership when he had Stanikzai caught behind for 25. The boundaries dried up for Afghanistan and Samiullah Shenwari tried to slog but was caught at long-on, giving Borren his fourth wicket. Tom Cooper got rid of the top scorer Nabi for 41, also caught at long-on, before cleaning up the tail to finish with 3 for 11.

Stephan Myburgh got Netherlands' chase off to a good start, hitting three fours in the first over. Izatullah Dawlatzai got the only wicket to fall, getting Myburgh out leg before on 23. Michael Swart and Kervezee then combined to add 107 for the second wicket. Kervezee smashed 13 fours and a six in his 63-ball knock, while Swart was unbeaten on 42 with four fours and a six.