World Cup: Netherlands' campaign leaves Rahul Dravid impressed

BENGALURU: Although Netherlands will bow out on Sunday as the last-placed team in the World Cup, their performance and the attention it has garnered will boost cricket in the Association Nations, believes India head coach Rahul Dravid.

“I’m very impressed with the way Netherlands have played in this tournament. The effort that they’ve gone through to be able to qualify is commendable. I know how difficult it is for associate teams to be able to reach this level and play. I think the performances of teams like the Netherlands certainly go a long way in boosting the morale of the other associate nations. It’s quite inspiring to see that in spite of the challenges that they face, they’re able to compete and play at this level,” Dravid said.

This World Cup has been a journey of many firsts for the Dutch side. They have also used social media extensively to chronicle their expedition, especially for their countrymen.

Dravid’s Dutch counterpart Ryan Cook hopes this World Cup experience will translate into better days for cricket back home. ““It’s the first time that it’s (Netherlands in the World Cup) has been streamed on TV. It’s reaching a greater audience now and a lot more people are talking about it within the Netherlands. Lots of people are sending pictures and messages about having watch parties, which may contain only 50 or 60 people in comparison to the IPL fan box which are packed. But that’s as big as it gets,” pointed out the South African.

On how it impacts the future of Dutch cricket, Cook added, “Hopefully it attracts fixtures with other nations, more sponsorship and greater revenue.”