ZIM vs NED, 1st ODI: Netherlands 255 for 7 (Nidamanuru 110*, Ackermann 50, Masakadza 3-36, Ngarava 2-44) beat Zimbabwe 249 (Madande 74, Klaassen 3-41, van Meekeren 2-50) by 3 wickets

The unbeaten 96-ball 110 shot from No. 7 finished the work for Netherlands as they pulled off a dig out from a deficit three-wicket prevailed upon Zimbabwe

Netherlands were 110 for 6 in the 32nd over, chasing 250 for victory in the first of three One-Day Internationals, when Nidamanuru first formed partnerships with Shariz Ahmad and Paul van Meekeren and then ended the game with some fireworks.

#1stODI – RESULT: @KNCBcricket seal the first ODI by 3 wickets and go 1-0 up in the 3-match series#ZIMvNED | #ICCSuperLeague | #VisitZimbabwe pic.twitter.com/UcqI2yBcWf

— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) March 21, 2023

After Richard Ngarava and Wellington Masakadza dismantled the Netherlands’ top order, Nidamanuru entered. However, Colin Ackermann was still present, and he and Nidamanuru put on a 46-run stand, but Masakadza bowled Ackermann out for 50 in his final over.

Before a quiet period left Netherlands needing 108 off 72 balls, Nidamanuru and Shariz picked up a boundary each in the first ten balls of their partnership. Nidamaduru crossed the odd boundary, but it wasn’t until the 43rd over that things started to get a little bit desperate.

Between the 43rd and 48th overs, Zimbabwe used five bowlers, but the rotation did not stop the runs from coming in. Shariz, on the other hand, was run out for 30 to end a 94-ball, 110-run stand.

With a four off Ngarava and a four off van Meekeren in the same over, Nidamadaru scored his century, making Netherlands need 19 from 12. After Blessing Muzarabani bowled Nidamadaru a six and van Meekeren a four in the 49th over, that reduced to just four runs from the final over. It came down to the penultimate pitch before van Meekeren struck Brad Evans for a six-run homer to win the game.

Zimbabwe were pressured earlier in the day after being asked to bat. In the first powerplay, van Meekeren and Fred Klaassen cheaply eliminated the top three. Both Wessly Madhevere and Sikandar Raza got off to good starts, but in the eleventh over, Madhevere was run out.

Before Masakadza joined Clive Madande to repair the innings, Brandon Glover, Vikramjit Singh, and Shariz chipped away to leave Zimbabwe languishing at 98 for 7 in the 21st over.

Despite only scoring five boundaries in their 99-ball partnership, the two turned the strike over to take the pressure off. When Masakadza got the second run-out of the game, they scored 70 runs.

After that, between Madande and Ngarava, who hit two sixes, 32 of the 66 runs were inside the boundary. In the 41st over, Madande reached fifty and continued to bat until he was the last man out for a 74 off 98 balls. Although it was a valiant effort, it was not enough to prevent the Netherlands from winning their third ODI Super League match.