Australian-born Netherlands cricketer Tom Cooper has said that his team is now dreaming of continuing their fairytale World Twenty20 run by defeating one of the major Test-playing nations in the tournament.
Unwittingly caught up in a 'cheating' scandal at the start of the tournament, the South Australian with Dutch heritage overcame that controversy to inspire a 'fell-good' story for the Dutch by smashing a record 45 off 15 balls in his team's six-wicket win over Ireland, which qualified them for the Super 10 stage.
According to News.com.au, Cooper said that he and the team is now looking forward to taking on world cricket's 'big' sides and hopefully beating atleast one of them, adding that of all the formats, T20 is the easiest to be able to create an upset.
Calling on his team to relax and let their 'natural ability' to take over, Cooper said that he hopes his other teammates replicate his and fellow batsman Stephan Myburgh's matchwinning innings and give the big sides atleast a scare if not a beating.
The report mentioned that two other Australians- Cooper's young brother Ben and Western Australian all rounder Michael Swart, helped in the team's incredible victory, which was a saving grace for them especially after the cheating accusations against them at the start of the tournament.
Cooper, who qualifies for the Netherlands through his mother, was caught up in the controversy when he was a replacement for Tim Gruijters who was ruled out with a back injury, although Gruijters then released a YouTube video in which he said he was bullied into being forced out of the Dutch squad to make way for Cooper, the report added.
