india vs netherlands: Dube blasts India to unbeaten group-stage finish
Shivam Dube's power-hitting and a tidy spell from Varun Chakravarthy propelled India to a 17-run victory over the Netherlands in Ahmedabad, leaving the hosts unbeaten in Group A. The match produced joy for India’s middle order and further frustration for opener Abhishek Sharma, who was dismissed for a third consecutive duck at the tournament.
Dube rescue transforms India innings
After winning the toss and electing to bat, India lost early momentum as the openers struggled against disciplined Dutch bowling. Abhishek Sharma faced just three balls before Aryan Dutt uprooted his stumps, and Ishan Kishan fell cheaply as India slumped to 69-3.
The innings shifted dramatically when Shivam Dube arrived. In a blistering cameo, Dube launched 66 off 31 balls, striking four fours and six sixes and racing to his fifty in 25 deliveries. He combined with Tilak Varma and later Hardik Pandya to rebuild the innings, adding the vital power-hitting that took India to 193-6 in 20 overs. Tilak Varma contributed 31, Suryakumar Yadav added a steady 34, and Hardik Pandya provided late impetus with 30 off 21.
Logan van Beek’s persistence yielded rewards for the Dutch, finishing with 3-56 as he tried to stifle India’s hitters, but Dube’s aggression ensured the hosts posted a challenging total.
Spin control and a stifled Dutch chase
The Netherlands’ reply never quite gathered the momentum needed to overhaul India’s 194 target. Opener partnerships were kept in check early, and the middle overs belonged to India’s spin attack. Varun Chakravarthy produced a decisive spell of 3-14 from three overs, removing key batters and stemming the flow of runs. Chakravarthy’s accuracy left the Dutch reeling at 94-4 inside 13 overs.
Bas de Leede again led the Dutch fight with 33 off 23 balls, while late contributions from Zach Lion-Cachet and Noah Croes offered hope but fell short. Michael Levitt, Max O'Dowd and Colin Ackermann reached the twenties but none capitalised to swing the chase. The Netherlands finished 176-7 in their 20 overs.
Dube chipped in with the ball as well, taking 2-35 in his three overs to complement his batting heroics and cement India’s grip on the match.
Aftermath: unbeaten progress and individual frustrations
The win completes a flawless Group A campaign for India, who advanced to the Super 8s with four wins from four matches. The result extends the hosts’ momentum into the next phase of the tournament and hands the team confidence with both bat and ball.
For Abhishek Sharma, however, there was a stark personal low. He became the first batter in T20 World Cup history to register ducks in each of his first three innings at a single edition, and this marked his fifth duck in the calendar year. The early dismissal placed extra pressure on the middle order, forcing players such as Dube and Pandya to shoulder the run-scoring burden.
The Netherlands exited the competition earlier in the day following other results, but several individual performances — notably de Leede’s and van Beek’s — offered positives to build on. India now turn their attention to the Super 8s, aiming to carry the form and firepower displayed in Ahmedabad into the tournament’s next stage.
