Top seeds in Group B, the Netherlands got their tournament off to a great start with a convincing six-wicket victory over Canada at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Despite the loss of John Davison in the first over and the even greater setback of an injury to captain Rizwan Cheema, who was forced to retire hurt in the next after being stuck in the face by a lifting delivery from Mudassar Bukhari, Canada started strongly, Hitesh Patel and Geoff Barnett putting on 58 in 35 balls before Barnett holed out to Tom de Grooth at deep cover off Pieter Seelaar’s bowling for 36.

Patel followed in the next over, Daan van Bunge taking a magnificent return catch, and with Netherlands captain Peter Borren switching his bowlers almost every over, the Dutch gradually regained control. Seelaar played a key role, bowling three overs for just 13 runs, and then coming back to dismiss Ash Bagai and finish with two for 18.

Ian Bilcliff contributed a brisk 37, made from 30 deliveries with three fours and a six, but when he was bowled by Ryan ten Doeschate attempting another huge blow, Canada were 122 for five and much of the momentum of the innings had gone.

Harvir Singh Baidwan, Umar Bhatti and Khurram Chauhan got the total up to 142 for seven, but after having been 114 for three with five overs left this was a slightly disappointing outcome for the Canadians.

Alexei Kervezee and Eric Szwarczynski then set the Dutch on the road to victory with an opening stand of 57 in six overs, Szwarczynski contributing a 17-ball 25 before he hit Bhatti to Khurram Chauhan at mid-off.

Zuiderent now joined Kervezee, and showed his intentions early by hitting a Sunil Dhaniram delivery over deep midwicket for six. Kervezee reached 39 from 31 deliveries before he was stumped by Bagai off a Davison doosra, but Zuiderent remained to the end, supported first by Borren and then by Ten Doeschate.

The latter eventually edged Baidwan to Bagai with the scores level, but Zuiderent smacked Chauhan’s next delivery to the long off boundary to give the Dutch their win with five balls to spare. He remained not out on 43, made from 41 deliveries, and took the Man of the Match award.

Canada now take on Kenya in Wednesday’s early game in Dubai, while the Netherlands face the UAE at the same venue later in the day.