The great T20 World Cup upsets following the Netherlands' triumph

Scott Edwards' men were better in all three facets in Sunday's morning fixture at Adelaide Oval, posting 158 before keeping the Proteas at bay with a solid bowling and fielding display, and quashing their semi-finals aspirations.

The surprises add to an extensive list of T20 World Cup upsets we’ve seen over the years.

Ireland defeated England, 2022

Rain may have marred the ending to the match at the MCG, though Andy Balbirnie’s men will feel they deserved victory after having the upper hand for long periods.

The skipper himself led with bat in hand, making a 47-ball 62, well-complimented by Lorcan Tucker (34 off 27).

Ireland v England Match Centre

England were unable to gather much momentum during their chase of Ireland's decent total of 157 and will rue the fact they were five runs short of the par score when the rain hit late at the MCG.

The equation was 53 required from 33 deliveries when the players left the field and both teams would have been thinking they were well placed for victory when the heavens opened.

Classy all-rounders Moeen Ali (24*) and Liam Livingstone (1*) had just started to find the boundary with ease, while Ireland knew they were well placed and only had to hold their nerve to prevail.

Zimbabwe defeated Pakistan, 2022

Zimbabwe got off to a flier as Wessly Madhevere and skipper Craig Ervine played some eye-catching shots inside the first two overs. With five boundaries inside the first three overs, Zimbabwe had a fabulous start, racing away at 10 runs per over.

Well placed at 95/3, Zimbabwe stumbled to 95/7 as Pakistan's bowlers went on a rampage. Eventually, they put up 130/8 with some help from Brad Evans down the order.

It seemed unlikely to be enough, but a superb bowling display from Zimbabwe ensured otherwise.

Pakistan had made a measured start to the chase of 131 to win, but two huge Powerplay wickets gave Zimbabwe a sniff as the big-name opening pair both went cheaply.

Babar Azam was squared up by a lovely piece of bowling from Brad Evans to be sent back for just four runs off nine balls. And the outstanding Blessing Muzarabani cleaned up Mohammad Rizwan via an inside edge for 14 (16).

Pakistan needed 11 to win off the final over, but 25-year-old Brad Evans held firm. Needing two off the final ball to force a Super Over Shaheen Shah Afridi mis-hit down the ground, and lost a race against Sikandar Raza's clutch throw that ran the tailender out.

Namibia defeated Sri Lanka, 2022

Opening up the tournament with a headline, Gerhard Erasmus' Namibia showed the Lions of Sri Lanka, boasting Asia Cup silverware, could still be felled.

At 93/6 six in their batting innings though, even staunch Associate cricket fans couldn't believe the turn around to come.

Step forward: Jan Frylinck. Given a bigger batting role for Namibia, he repaid the faith with interest. He finished with 44* in 28 balls to hand his side momentum, and JJ Smit highlighted his hitting credentials with a 16-ball 31*.

Chasing 164, Sri Lanka were ambushed by Ben Shikongo, providing an extra yard of pace and a right-arm point of difference in a side of lefties. He claimed a double-wicket maiden, and Namibia took every chance in an emphatic fielding display.

Netherlands defeated South Africa, 2022

Put into bat, the Dutch raced out of the blocks through a swashbuckling Stephan Myburgh, and key contributions by several members of the team ensured they always edged their South African foes in Adelaide.

Max O'Dowd's 29 ensured progress, and Tom Cooper's 35 from 19 balls, on his home Australian surface, meant the accelerator was pushed. Though it was Colin Ackermann's 41* from 26 balls which lifted the Netherlands to 158, a seemingly defendable total at the break.

South Africa's 13-run defeat if anything flattered the Proteas, who were second-best throughout the match's second half. Fred Klaassen claimed Quinton de Kock early, and when he returned to the bowling crease through the middle overs, he turned the screws with the excellent Brandon Glover. Glover claimed Rilee Rossouw, David Miller and Wayne Parnell, quelling any Protea counter.

Ireland defeated Bangladesh, 2009

Two years after their stunning Cricket World Cup win over Pakistan, on St. Patrick’s day to boot, Ireland continued to show their white-ball class when turning their attention to the 2009 T20 World Cup.

In their first T20 World Cup match, Ireland faced Bangladesh on a Trent Bridge track they seemed to enjoy on both sides. Holding Bangladesh to 90/6, the men in green leaked 137 in the end, though remained confident.

In reply, Ireland’s best showed up with the bat. Older O’Brien brother Niall set the tone with 40 from 25 balls, while Kevin (39* off 17 balls) ensured the match was won in the penultimate over.

Hong Kong defeated Bangladesh, 2014

When Tanwir Afzal claimed Tamim Iqbal and Sabbir Rahman in the first over, Hong Kong had almost hit the mute button on a stunned Chittagong crowd.

The hosts looked to have turned things around at 85/3, though spinners Nadeem Ahmed (4/21) and Nizakat Khan ripped through a hapless middle order bereft of answers. Helped by a backing fielding effort, exemplified by good catches from ‘keeper Jamie Atkinson, and Babar Hayat in the outfield to hold their opponents to 109.

Hong Kong slipped to 50/5, though 40-year-old Munir Dar showed calm in their attack, making 36 (27). He fell short of the finish line, though Haseeb Amjad stood tall late for Hong Kong, hitting a one-handed six over cover to win with two balls to spare.

Scotland defeated Bangladesh, 2021

The opening day of the 2021 edition in Oman provided not just an all-time upset, but perhaps one of the greatest comebacks in T20I history. Sat perilously at 53/6, Chris Greaves, who had only debuted days early, rescued the men in purple.

His awe-inspiring 45 in 28 balls lifted them to a defendable 140, and after Bangladesh lost early wickets, Kyle Coetzer’s men moved into the ascendancy. Bangladesh crawled closer, though timed their run a fraction too late, with Brad Wheal’s 3/24 helped by Chris Greaves double salvo to complete his player of the match performance.

Netherlands defeated England, 2014

History repeated itself five years after their 2009 defeat, though unlike the time before, this one came as a compounding blow after England were already eliminated from the competition.

Stephan Myburgh pushed things along on a slow surface, though picked out a fielder to fielder to hand Ravi Bopara and England a breakthrough. England pulled the Dutch back to 133/5, who would have lamented a slow finish after being 110/2.

Mudassar Bukhari (3/12) took two wickets in two balls to remove Michael Lumb and Alex Hales, and when Timm van der Gugten removed Eoin Morgan, England were left reeling at 26/3. Peter Borren struck with his first ball to stick the boot in at 32/4, and a run out of Tim Bresnan from the bouncing Bukhari pushed the Dutch further.

Logan van Beek finished with 3/9, England crumbled to 88 all out inside 18 overs.

Zimbabwe defeated Australia, 2007

The formative years of T20 cricket leaned into surprise results, though not many would have picked an all-conquering Australian side losing to Zimbabwe.

Elton Chigumbura claimed 3/20 in three overs, dismissing both Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist. Gary Brent’s 2/19 stifled the middle order, and Australia clutched and fought to make just 138.

Brendan Taylor showed a cool head at the death with Zimbabwe needing 12 off the last over. He eventually finished with 60 not out from 45 balls, sweeping Nathan Bracken for four, and stealing four leg-byes off to win with a ball to spare.

Afghanistan defeated West Indies, 2016

Still an Associate member at this point, Afghanistan were underestimated by the eventual champions, and the Blue Tigers struck.

Afghanistan’s modus operandi of going at everything looked to have failed, and when Mohammed Nabi’s cover drive was caught by Marlon Samuels after a fielding ricochet, it seemed they may have been out of luck too. They finished with 123, with Najibullah Zadran’s 48* providing the only respite.

Amir Hamza conceded just nine in four overs in Afghanistan's response with the ball, and a young Rashid Khan flexed his leg-spinning muscles. Mohammad Shahzad’s run out of the Andre Russell at the non-striker’s end raised the decibels, and Nabi ensured a final-over win.

Netherlands defeated England, 2009

Playing their first-ever T20 World Cup match, the Dutch had been given little chance of causing an upset at the 2009 opener, only for their odds to blow out further after leaking 162.

Wedged at 23/2, reporters had begun the pre-writing, though Tom de Grooth’s knock of 49 (30) brought a glimmer of hope, as did Peter Borren’s 30 from 25 balls.

Rain threatened to bring the game to a halt, though it was Ryan ten Doeschate and Edgar Schiferli that had the final say. Ten Doeschate (22* from 17) exemplified calm in the middle of a maelstrom, and Schiferli’s scuffed slog outdid a sprawling Stuart Broad, who missed the run out chance that led to the winning overthrow on the final ball.