'I definitely wouldn’t say it was easy and a World Cup win is amazing' - Max O'Dowd after win against Nepal

The Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas was alive with excitement as Nepal faced the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup Group D opener. Despite a spirited effort from Nepal, the Netherlands secured a six-wicket victory, thanks to a solid performance from batter Max O'Dowd.

O'Dowd, who played a key role in the win, acknowledged the tough challenge posed by Nepal and said that it wasn’t an easy victory for sure.

“I definitely wouldn’t say it was easy and a World Cup win is amazing, any World Cup win is great. I think our bowlers bowled extremely well to restrict them to 106 but you see Nepal have so much fight and spirit that they managed to bring it down to what it was. I don’t think it was ever a case of it being an easy win,” O’Dowd said after the match, as quoted by News 18.

Nepal's fans turned up in large numbers, filling the stadium with vibrant colours and loud cheers. However, their team struggled to build a significant total, being bowled out for 106. The Netherlands bowlers, led by left-arm spinner Tim Pringle (3-20) and medium-pacer Logan van Beek (3-18), were instrumental in keeping the target low.

Despite an early setback in their chase, the Netherlands steadied their nerves with a 40-run partnership between O'Dowd and Vikramjit Singh. Sybrand Engelbrecht's 14 from 16 balls further eased the chase, despite Nepal's exceptional fielding effort.

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O'Dowd praised Nepal's fielding, noting that they put a lot of pressure on the Netherlands and made the match challenging. He emphasized that Nepal is one of the best fielding units in the world, but expressed relief that the Netherlands managed to secure the win.

“Personally, I felt like I really had to think about what was best for the team in certain situations and you could see the pressure they were putting on us, the way they field. I think they’re one of the best fielding units in the world. So, they put a lot of pressure on us and definitely didn’t make it easy. But I’m just happy that we managed to get over the line,” O’Dowd noted.

O'Dowd's patience and composure were crucial, especially between the 11th and 18th overs when runs were scarce. He broke the dry spell in the 19th over, hitting a four and a six off Abinash Bohara to seal the victory with just 13 needed off the last 12 balls.

Reflecting on the win, O'Dowd emphasized the importance of trusting his processes and overcoming pre-game nerves. He mentioned that although the crowd's energy builds up, once on the field, it feels like just another game of cricket, which he truly enjoys.

“For me, it’s just I guess trusting the processes that I have and I feel like a lot of us guys are probably quite similar. We have nerves and stuff before the games. You see the crowd. It kind of builds up. But then once you step over that line, it’s just another game of cricket, really. And you try not to let it annoy you or get in your head. But yeah, for me, I really love it," he added.