New Delhi, July 20 (IANS): After playing a part in the Netherlands winning the ICC Associate Member Men’s Performance of the Year award in the ICC Development Awards, Netherlands’ all-rounder Bas de Leede said the team had belief in itself about putting in some very good performance in a short period of time.

The Netherlands qualified for the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup in India by finishing runners-up in the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe. De Leede was one of their standout performers during the Qualifier in Zimbabwe, making 92-ball 123 after picking 5-52, as the Netherlands beat Scotland and overhaul their opponents’ net run-rate to clinch a place in India.

Before that, the Netherlands had beaten two-time ODI World Cup champions West Indies in the game of the tournament, with Logan van Beek hitting a record 30 runs in a Super Over. Later, in the main tournament, the Netherlands showed a good fight in India to beat South Africa and Bangladesh in the league stage.

“We knew what was needed going into it and the belief in the group was that we were capable of putting in some very good performances in a short space of time. There were some doubts maybe, but mostly belief was the big thing. We were trying to tell ourselves in the group that it was possible and then we were planning how we were going to do it.”

“That West Indies game is No.1. It was 375 to chase and not to get a single off the last ball but win off the Super Over like that, what Logan did that day was very special. After a game like that against the West Indies, it would be nice to be qualified already, but that wasn’t the case.”

“It was the same against Scotland, we knew what was needed. The net run-rate, batting second was handy. To put in a performance again, when it mattered, was special for us as a team. For myself, it was one of the better days on a cricket field,” said de Leede to ICC.

He went on to explain how important it was for the team to perform against full members in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup. “It was amazing to be at the World Cup. As associate nations, I think we represent each other on the big stage. To do that for the other associate nations was pretty cool.”

“We’ve always had a belief that we were good enough so to actually be there was a special moment. It was six or seven weeks of cricket against the best nations in the world and it is something that will probably only happen once in my life so I was very grateful for that opportunity.”