New Delhi, Feb 9 (NationPress) Colin Ackermann, the all-rounder from the Netherlands, expressed that his team's batting performance in their recent three-wicket loss to Pakistan during the inaugural game of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup was somewhat of an anomaly. He assured that the team would address the errors made as they prepare for their next match against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

The Netherlands aims to achieve improved consistency in their batting lineup after struggling to convert early opportunities into significant runs against Pakistan, with only two players managing to score over 30 runs. Forming partnerships proved challenging, with only two partnerships exceeding 30 runs.

They started strongly against Pakistan, amassing 79 runs in the first 10 overs, but suffered a dramatic collapse in the final four overs, losing six wickets for just 20 runs, resulting in a total below the anticipated 160 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

“We were on target for around 170 after 15 overs, having lost only three or four wickets for about 125 runs. Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out as we hoped on that day. One of our strengths is having many all-rounders who can contribute with the bat. Thus, I believe that match was an outlier. We discussed this during our batting meeting this morning and are eager to rectify it in upcoming matches,” Ackermann stated in response to a question from IANS during the pre-match press conference on Monday.

Moreover, the Netherlands' chances were hindered when opener Max O’Dowd dropped a key catch of Faheem Ashraf in the crucial penultimate over. When queried if the team would conduct extra catching drills following the drop, Ackermann replied, “We haven’t had extra fielding practice as we just arrived in Delhi yesterday. However, Max is doing fine. There were several other critical moments in the match where we could have improved.”

“If we had added another 15–20 runs in the last five overs of our innings, it could have changed the outcome. There are approximately 240 moments in a T20 match, so we must focus on enhancing our performance in those areas as well,” he added.

“Based on the games played here, it appears this ground is slightly more favorable for higher scores compared to the one in Colombo. We are aware that we’ll be playing four matches at different venues, so communication will be vital as the game against Namibia approaches,” he elaborated.

Ackermann mentioned that head coach Ryan Cook has encouraged the players to move past the near-miss against Pakistan and concentrate on securing a victory over Namibia to realign their Group A campaign. “Naturally, it was a disappointing outcome for us. However, the nature of this tournament is fast-paced - we’ve set that aside.”

“A core aspect of this Netherlands team is taking ownership of our performances and learning from past experiences. Upon arriving in Delhi, Coach Ryan Cook emphasized leaving the past behind and focusing on the next game against Namibia,” he said.

“We possess significant self-belief as a team. Our history shows we can compete with Test nations, instilling a lot of confidence within the group. This squad has dedicated the last six months to becoming the best version of themselves, and I am confident that will be evident in the next three matches,” he concluded.

Ackermann also noted the positive influence of psychologist Tom Dawson-Squibb on the coaching staff. “Yes, Tom has been a tremendous addition to our coaching team. He assists us off the field to maximize our potential. We’ve developed a technique where each player has two meaningful words printed inside their playing shirts.

“Whenever there’s doubt or lack of clarity, we can refer to those words. He’s worked closely with us on that front, among other things, but I won’t delve into those details here.