Defending champions England down Netherlands to bag second World Cup win

• Defending champions bag 160-run victory against the Dutch.
• With two wins and six losses, England ranked seventh in points table.
  
• Victory to help them keep their 2025 Champions Trophy hopes alive.
  

Defending Champions England on Wednesday thrashed the Netherlands to secure their second World Cup 2023 win on Wednesday.

During the match being played at Pune's Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, England secured a comprehensive 160-run victory against the Dutch who were bowled out at 179 runs while chasing a 340-run target.

Ranked seventh on the points table — with six losses and two wins — today's victory will help England keep their hopes alive for 2025 Champions Trophy qualification.

Earlier, Ben Stokes' maiden World Cup hundred rescued faltering champions England from another collapse as they made 339 for nine.

Stokes' 108, only England's second individual century of the tournament, came when it looked as if his bottom-of-the-table side would struggle to reach 300 after winning the toss.

But together with Chris Woakes (51), he turned the tide during a seventh-wicket stand of 129 after they came together at 192 for six.

England came into this match having won just one of their preceding seven group games.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands — a non-test side by contrast — had won two matches in the tournament including a shock victory over semifinalists South Africa.

For England, opening batsman Dawid Malan led the way as the left-handed batsman completed a 36-ball fifty of which 40 were scored in boundaries.

England, however, lost two wickets in quick succession with Joe Root falling for 28 in bizarre fashion while attempting a reverse scoop and was bowled between his legs by Logan van Beek

He was followed by Malan — as he was nearing his tournament's second century — who was run out after being sent back by Stokes going for a needless single.

Harry Brook gave his wicket away before England captain Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali both fell tamely in single figures.

Stokes was dropped in the deep off a tough chance and survived a tight lbw review before smashing a no-ball from spinner Aryan Dutt – and the ensuing free-hit – for sixes.

Test skipper Stokes went into the 90s with another six, a straight drive off De Leede.

A reverse swept four off paceman Paul van Meekeren, his sixth of the innings, saw him to a 78-ball hundred that included five sixes.

Woakes and Stokes, who was out in the last over, starred as England scored 124 runs in the last 10 overs, with van Beek suffering in a return of 2-88.