Netherlands thrash UAE by eight wickets to secure 2020 World T20 berth

The Netherlands on Tuesday sealed their berth in the ICC men's Twenty20 World Cup in Australia next year with a superb eight-wicket win over United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the qualifying play-off here.

Brandon Glover returned with a four-wicket haul, while Paul van Meekeren and T van der Gugten claimed two wickets each to restrict UAE to 80 for nine in the stipulated 20 overs.

The Dutch then overhauled the target, reaching 81 for two in 15.1 overs, riding on a 53-ball 41 by opener Ben Cooper.

The Netherlands thus became the third team, after Papua New Guinea and Ireland, to book a place in the T20 World Cup. The Dutch are now assured of a place in the eight-team first round of the tournament to be held in Australia in October next year.

UAE have a final chance to reach the tournament when they face Scotland in a qualifying playoff on Wednesday.

Hosts UAE skipper Ahmed Raza's decision to bat first backfired as they slumped to 9 for 5.

Opener Rohan Mustafa (1) was the first to go after he was caught and bowled by Fred Klaassen in the first over.

Paul van Meekeren then struck twice in as many balls, having Rameez Shahad (0) and Mohammad Usman (0) caught behind by wicketkeeper Scott Edwards in the second over.

Glover then trapped Darius D'Silva LBW for a duck in the third over, before removing Zawar Farid (5) when he tried to pull a delivery to midwicket as UAE lost half their side inside five overs.

UAE were in danger of recording the lowest score in T20I history but they managed to put up 80 for 9 after Raza (22), Waheed Ahmed (19), Mohammad Boota (16) and Sultan Ahmed (11) made some useful contributions.

In reply, the Netherlands lost Max O'Dowd (5) to Rohan Mustafa in the second over before Colin Ackermann (18) was sent packing by Zahoor Khan in the 10th over.

Cooper and Ryan ten Doeschate (11 not out) then steadied the innings and took their team home with 29 balls to spare.

The Dutch, who have beaten England in the 2009 and 2015 T20 World Cups, will now face Ireland in the semi-final on Friday.

UAE can still make it to the World T20 if they beat Scotland in a do-or-die match.