The Netherlands narrowly missed out on a third full member scalp in T20 internationals, as Zimbabwe scraped a 5 wicket last ball win. Following a disastrous opening powerplay which saw the loss of four wickets for just 35 runs, Tom Cooper's 72* saw the Dutch recover to a total of 140, but still at least 20 below par given the short boundaries and untroubling surface. Disciplined bowling and coupled with smart and energetic work in the field kept Zimbabwe in check, but the Dutch were fighting a rear-guard action from almost the first over of the game, and Vusi Sibanda's last ball six got Zimbabwe over the line.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Dutch the worst of possible starts, Stephan Myburgh out for a golden duck in the first over, LWB pushing forward to Prosper Utseya. Wesley Barresi, after a bright start, fell to a nigh-unplayable delivery from Tinashe Panyangara that jagged back in to peg back his leg stump in the second. Seemingly determined not to let the run rate dip, Swart followed on eight balls later taking on the bowler with an ill-judged bunt-and-run only to be caught well out of his ground. the collapse continued the next over, Borren miscuing a lofted drive off Utseya to Chigumbura at mid-off, leaving the Dutch reeling on 35-4.

From there it was a damage limitation exercise that faced the Cooper brothers, and they duly set about rebuilding the innings. Brendan Taylor seemed content to allow the pair to rotate the strike but the boundaries dried up in the middle overs. Tom Cooper announced that the time for acceleration had arrived by smashing Masakadza for a huge six over long off to bring up the 50 partnership, but Ben fell in the next over, induced by the excellent Mushangwe to spoon one to long on trying to break the shackles.

Cooper Sr pressed on however, and in partnership with Mudassar Bukhari he added 57 in the last six over to take the Netherlands to the respectable total of 140 albeit with very poor boundary fielding throughout from Zimbabwe to thank fo at least 15 runs.

Zimbabwean openers Sikandar Raza and Hamilton Masakadza took a cautious attitude to the chase, looking only to work the singles and punish occasional loose balls. When Raza's attempts to accelerate backfired, first seeing a looping top edge dropped by a backpeddling Michael Swart at mid on before spooning a gratefully accepted lob to Seelaar at midwicket, the scoring rate slowed still further.

Captain Brendan Taylor seemed unhurried as he built a 62 run partnership with Masakadza to take his team over the half-way stage, but the required run rate was climbing consistently as Borren's canny conservatism in the field took advantage of the apparent lack of urgency to strangle the run scoring. When Pieter Seelar struck twice in the 14th over to remove Masakadza and Chigumbura and leave Zimbabwe three sown with 54 needed off 37 ball, it began to look as if the match might become an object lesson in defense and counter-strike.

Two miserly overs from Borren and van der Gugten followed to leave Zimbabwe needing 40 from the last four overs, and suddenly the Netherlands looked to be on top. But the dutch dominance was brief as Taylor made up for his earlier circumspection by smashing three fours off Logan van Beek to put Zimbabwe back on top.

With two overs to go and 15 needed, a spectacular one-handed catch at cover from captain Peter Borren off the bowling of van der Gugten to dismiss his opposite number left the match hanging by a thread, but Sibanda and Sean Williams kept their heads and ran hard for twos, and rode their luck as a french cut for four took Zimbabwe level with two balls to spare.

But even then the drama was not over. Williams drove an excellent yorker back to Malik and set off for a premeditated single, Malik gathered it calmly and dashed ahead of him to demolish the stumps. Down to the last ball then, but there would be no super-over. In a rare lapse Malik over-pitched the final ball and Sibanda slammed it high over long on for a six and victory.

The result means Group B remains wide open, with both teams and Ireland still in contention. Zimbabwe will look for a convincing win against the UAE on Friday, whilst Netherlands will need a win against Ireland to stay in the running.