JOIN USAnd stakes will run high for hosts England, who will take on lowly Netherlands in the inaugural match at Lord’s. The hosts will rub then shoulders with Pakistan, who finished runners-up to India, in Group B.
England have fallen behind after discovering the Twenty20 format. They will be without the talismanic all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, but will have the home advantage in their favour.
In Paul Collingwood, England have a poised leader. All eyes will be on Kevin Pietersen, who admitted he is still learning Twenty20 tricks. Ravi Bopara looks in good touch while pace pair of Stuart Broad and James Anderson are best suited to the conditions.
Netherlands continue to compete strongly at Associate level but at this level they can be safely assumed to be here for making up the number.
An England-Netherlands match is sure to bring back memories of 1989 when an England XI were beaten by three runs at Amstelveen, a game where current captain Jeroen Smits was 12th man with Nasser Hussain and Alec Stewart lining up for England.
All eyes will be on their two leading players, Dirk Nannes and Ryan ten Doeschate.
Nannes was outstanding for Delhi Daredevils during the IPL, while ten Doeschate is a consistent performer for Essex. If Netherlands can return home making the two fancied sides in their group sweat a bit, it would be a successful tournament.
What will work to Netherlands’ advantage is that they could go out with a nothing-to-lose approach and play with a spirit of enjoyment and excitement and hope to cause an upset in the process.