The Netherlands found themselves on the verge of a second consecutive defeat to kick off their World Cup campaign, with a disappointing scoreboard showing 181/6 in pursuit of 323 against New Zealand, and just 14 overs remaining.
The Dutch team could only blame themselves for their poor batting performance, as it was marked by loose shots and schoolboy errors against a disciplined bowling attack that consistently claimed wickets. Amidst the flurry of errors made by the European side, one incident in the 18th over stood out for its exceptionally amateurish running between the wickets involving batsmen Colin Ackermann and Teja Nidmanuru.
Lockie Ferguson delivered a ball on the stumps to Colin, who drove it down the ground towards mid-off for a quick single. Teja sprinted towards the batter’s end and continued his run for several meters beyond the crease, assuming that his task for the delivery was completed.
However, his partner at the other end noticed that the fielder had mishandled the ball and quickly turned to chase a second run, with his attention fully focused on the ball the entire time. It was only when he was halfway down the pitch that Colin realized Teja had his back turned to him and was completely unaware of his approach.
— Ishan Martinez (@IshanMarti66419) October 9, 2023
At that moment, Teja finally became aware of the situation unfolding in the middle of the pitch. Colin, who had almost reached the crease at the opposite end, had no choice but to turn around and sprint back to his own base, even as Teja looked on in desperation. Fortunately for the pair, a weak throw meant no harm was done, although Teja eventually fell victim to a run-out, as expected.