Friday, Feb 20, 2026 | 02 Ramadan 1447
Friday, Feb 20, 2026 | 02 Ramadan 1447
India beat the Netherlands by 17 runs in their final Twenty20 World Cup Group A match on Wednesday in Ahmedabad as the co-hosts and defending champions maintained their perfect record heading into the Super Eight stage.
After winning the toss and opting to bat, India posted 193-6 on a slow pitch on the back of Shivam Dube’s 66 off 31 balls in the middle order while Logan van Beek finished with figures of 3-56.
In response, the already-eliminated Dutch side managed only 176-7 after Varun Chakravarthy picked up three wickets for just 14 runs while Dube also took two wickets to win the player of the match award.
“I try to hit boundaries. I enjoy hitting sixes, but the situation demands (if) the bowler is good, I have to be prepared. I have to prepare myself to hit boundaries as well,” Dube said on his career-high knock.
“The captain and coach told me that I have to keep the strike rate high when I come in the middle overs, but it depends on the situation.”
Third straight duck for Sharma
India had a nightmare start in the first over when Abhishek Sharma – the world’s number one ranked batter – fell for a third consecutive duck in the tournament after he was bowled by spinner Aryan Dutt.
Fellow opener Ishan Kishan (18) also fell victim to Dutt in bizarre fashion when he attempted to play the pull shot but failed to connect as the ball came off his arm and rolled into the stumps to dislodge a bail.
India’s troubles deepened when Tilak Varma (31) departed courtesy of a stunning diving catch in the deep by 41-year-old Roelof van der Merwe, while Suryakumar Yadav’s dismissal for 34 left the defending champions wobbling at 110-4.
Yet Dube entered the fray and unleashed a barrage of boundaries with four fours and six sixes in his match-defining knock, supported by Hardik Pandya’s quickfire 30 in the death overs to propel India to their imposing total.
“The way he (Dube) batted in the middle overs took pressure off everyone and taking it to 190 on this wicket, I think it was a very good score,” India captain Yadav said.
Sluggish start for Netherlands
The Netherlands started their chase sluggishly as India bowled numerous dot balls.
As the required run rate mounted, Chakravarthy provided the breakthrough in the powerplay by uprooting Max O’Dowd’s leg stump before Pandya had Michael Levitt caught in the deep.
Chakravarthy was on a hat-trick after dismissing Colin Ackermann and Dutt, while Dube removed danger man Bas de Leede for 33 to leave the Dutch reeling at 112-5.
Despite scoring 51 runs off the final four overs and benefiting from dropped catches, the Netherlands had left themselves too steep a mountain to climb, ending their campaign with three defeats and one victory.
