On This Day — Netherlands Shock England with Opening Day Victory in 2009 T20 World Cup

What followed was a thrilling contest that shocked the cricketing world. The Netherlands team put on a brave and fearless performance against a strong England side and pulled off a famous win. This game remains one of the most exciting and unexpected matches in the history of the T20 World Cup. Let’s look at the highlights.

England vs Netherlands: 5th June 2009

The opening match of the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 at Lord’s on June 5, 2009, delivered one of cricket’s most unforgettable upsets as the Netherlands stunned England by 4 wickets in a thrilling last-ball finish. Chasing 163, the Dutch, led by Tom de Grooth’s explosive 49 off 30 balls and Ryan ten Doeschate’s composed 22* off 17, defied expectations to chase down England’s 162/5 with no balls to spare.

England’s innings in the 2009 World Twenty20 opener against the Netherlands began with promise but lost momentum, finishing at 162/5 in 20 overs, a total that proved just shy of match-winning. Openers Luke Wright and Ravi Bopara laid a strong foundation, racing to 89/0 after 10 overs at a run rate of 8.90, capitalizing on a quick Lord’s outfield despite the earlier drizzle. Bopara, elegant and assured, struck 5 fours in his 46 off 34 balls (SR: 135.29), while Wright’s 71 off 49 (8 fours, SR: 144.89) was a blend of power and grit, marking his maiden T20I fifty. Their 102-run opening stand was England’s first T20I century partnership, a platform that suggested a score well above 180.

Dirk Nannes, the Netherlands’ fiery left-arm pacer, opened with pace (touching 92.9 mph) but was inconsistent, leaking 9 runs in his first over, including two Bopara boundaries. Edgar Schiferli struggled similarly, conceding 27 runs in 3 overs (economy: 9.00), as Wright and Bopara exploited loose deliveries. The Dutch fielding, however, was sharp, with diving stops at point and cover limiting boundaries. By the 5th over, England were 38/0, with Bopara’s square drives and Wright’s leg-side flicks setting a brisk tempo.

The introduction of spin in the 6th over by Pieter Seelaar (4-0-33-1) slowed England’s scoring. His tidy first over cost just 4 runs, and Peter Borren’s medium pace (4-0-31-1) further tightened the screws, conceding only 4 runs in the 13th over. The Netherlands’ strategy of bowling full and straight paid dividends, cramping England’s aggressive intent. Ryan ten Doeschate (4-0-35-2) broke the opening stand in the 12th over, dismissing Bopara, caught at long-on by Seelaar after a skied slog. Owais Shah’s brief 5 off 8 ended in the 14th over, caught at square leg off Schiferli, and Eoin Morgan’s 6 off 8 was snuffed out by Borren, caught at point attempting a reverse sweep.

England’s middle order faltered against the Dutch’s disciplined bowling. Paul Collingwood (11 off 10) and Rob Key (10* off 8) couldn’t accelerate, managing only 73 runs in the last 10 overs at 7.30 runs per over. Nannes returned to bowl a tight final over, conceding just 7 runs, finishing with 4-0-30-0. Seelaar’s variations and ten Doeschate’s clever changes of pace (economy: 8.75) exposed England’s lack of a finisher, especially with Kevin Pietersen sidelined by an Achilles injury. Misfields, like Daan van Bunge’s fumble at extra cover, gifted England extra runs, but the Netherlands’ 12 dot balls and sharp fielding kept the total in check. England’s 162, with 23 fours and no sixes, felt 15-20 runs short on a batting-friendly pitch.

The Netherlands’ chase of 163 against England was a masterclass in belief and audacity, culminating in a heart-stopping 4-wicket victory on the final ball. Needing 8.47 runs per over, the Dutch batsmen, led by Tom de Grooth’s match-defining 49 off 30 (6 fours, 1 six, SR: 163.33), kept pace with England’s total, finishing at 163/6 in 20 overs. Despite a rain-soaked outfield and England’s pace-heavy attack, the Netherlands’ aggressive batting and England’s sloppy fielding — missing four run-outs — sealed a famous upset.

James Anderson struck early, removing Alexei Kervezee (1 off 4) in the first over, caught by Stuart Broad at mid-on. Darron Reekers counterattacked, smashing 20 off 13 (1 four, 2 sixes, SR: 153.84), including a monstrous 83-meter six off Ryan Sidebottom in the 2nd over. Anderson’s inswingers (4-0-23-3, economy: 5.75) kept the Dutch at 23/1 after 3 overs, but Reekers’ fall to Broad (3-0-26-1) in the 4th over brought de Grooth to the crease. His arrival sparked the chase, with a jabby cut for four off Broad signalling intent.

De Grooth and Bas Zuiderent (12 off 16) added 34 for the third wicket, taking the score to 66/2 after 8 overs (RR: 8.25). De Grooth’s reverse sweeps and slog-sweeps, including a four off Adil Rashid’s second ball, rattled England’s debutant legspinner (4-0-36-1, economy: 9.00). Rashid claimed Zuiderent, stumped by James Foster in the 8th over, but Peter Borren (30 off 25, 1 four, 1 six) joined de Grooth to keep the chase alive. Borren’s six off Collingwood in the 13th over, fetched from a corporate box, highlighted the Dutch’s fearless approach.

At 91/3 after 10 overs, the Netherlands matched England’s mid-innings score, needing 72 from 60 balls. Collingwood’s dibble-dobblers (2-0-17-1) dismissed de Grooth in the 13th over, caught by Key at mid-off, but ten Doeschate (22* off 17, 2 fours) steadied the innings. His powerful cut for four off Rashid in the 15th over kept the required rate at 7.00. Anderson’s third wicket, Borren caught by Shah in the 16th over, left the Dutch at 133/5, but they stayed ahead on Duckworth-Lewis as rain intensified.

The 18th over saw Daan van Bunge (8 off 8) fall to Anderson, caught by Wright at deep extra cover, but ten Doeschate’s sliced four off Sidebottom (4-0-23-0) kept the Dutch in control. Sidebottom’s 19th over cost 10 runs, including leg-byes and a full-toss slapped for two, leaving 7 needed off the final over. Broad, bowling the tense 20th over (4-0-32-1), missed three run-out chances, including a Jonty Rhodes-style dive that dislodged the bails without the ball. With 2 runs needed off the last ball, Edgar Schiferli (5* off 7) clubbed a drive, and Broad’s errant throw allowed an overthrow, sealing the Netherlands’ victory.