The Netherlands defeating South Africa in Tuesday's ICC World Cup fixture sent shockwaves throughout the cricketing world, but it is the personal journey of players like Paul Van Meekeren that made their triumph truly remarkable.

All six Dutch bowlers played their part after skipper Scott Edwards' unbeaten 78 helped take them from a 140 for seven to a fighting 245 for eight as 105 runs were amassed in the last 9.1 overs at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala.   

Van Meekeren did not get the chance to bat but his two crucial wickets -- of Aiden Markram and Marco Jansen -- were instrumental in derailing South Africa's chase as they fell 38 runs short of target.

Van Meekeren (R) celebrates with captain Scott Edwards after taking the wicket of South Africa's Marco Jansen at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on October 17, 2023. Photo: AFP

It is amazing how fate unfolds sometimes. In 2020, Van Meekeren revealed in a tweet that he had resorted to delivering food for Uber Eats after the Men's T20 World Cup was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Should've been playing cricket today, now I'm delivering Uber Eats to get through the winter months!! Funny how things change, hahaha. Keep smiling, people," he wrote on the social platform, now known as X. 

In an candid interview with The Cricketer, the 30-year-old admitted that he had taken up a job with Uber Eats to make ends meet during the indefinite break in cricket caused by the pandemic.

He explained, "I had enough savings, but they are savings I don't want to touch. I've had to dig deep into my reserves now, and I had to think about how I was going to support myself during the winter when there's no cricket. I needed some income."