T20 WC: Dube’s all-round show helps India end group stage unbeaten, outclass Netherlands by 17 runs

AHMEDABAD: A brilliant all-round performance from Shivam Dube and a fine spell from Varun Chakravarthy helped India end the group stage of the ICC T20 World Cup unbeaten, with a 17-run win over a valiant Netherlands at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday.

With this win, India make it four wins in four matches in the group stage and head into the Super Eight with winning momentum. The Netherlands bow out of the tournament with a win and three losses, two of them being extremely close losses against India and Pakistan. The Dutch can surely take a lot of pride in the way their campaign went and in how challenging they were for both Asian sides.

During the run-chase of 194 runs, the Netherlands opening pair of Max O’Dowd and Michael Levitt tried to take down Indian bowlers quite proactively, collecting boundaries against the pace of Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah, and also Washington Sundar’s spin.

India hold firm to extend their unbeaten run at the #T20WorldCup despite a strong Netherlands fight

: https://t.co/tLZL1cWXwl pic.twitter.com/YOn1U5p7lI

— ICC (@ICC) February 18, 2026

However, in the final over of the powerplay, Varun Chakravarthy, the top-ranked T20I bowler, castled O’Dowd for an 18-ball 20, with two fours and a six as he went for a gigantic slog. The Netherlands was 35/1 in 5.4 overs.

Levitt carried the attack against the pace and spin unfazed, but it was Hardik Pandya who got his wicket, with a fine catch by Washington at the boundary’s edge, removing Levitt for 24 in 23 balls, with four boundaries. The Netherlands was 51/2 in 7.5 overs.

Bas de Leede and Colin Ackermann took some risks against Hardik and Varun, powering the Netherlands to 72/2 at the end of 10 overs, with de Leede (15*) and Ackermann (9*) unbeaten.

Ackermann continued to be the aggressor of the partnership. However, it was once again Varun striking gold for India, removing Ackermann (23 in 15 balls, with a four and two sixes) and Aryan Dutt (0) in two successive balls. The Netherlands was pushed back to 94/4 in 12.2 overs.

Skipper Scott Edwards swept Shivam Dube for a four and it was followed by a meaty pull from de Leede, taking Netherlands to the 100-run mark in 13.1 overs. But the Indian all-rounder got the last laugh, removing de Leede for 33 in 23 balls, with three fours and a six. The Netherlands were 112/5 in 14 overs.

Netherlands’ downfall continued as Jasprit Bumrah castled skipper Edwards for a 10-ball 15, with the Dutch sinking to 125/6 in 15.5 overs.

Noah Croes and Zach Lion-Cachet were not going to give up easily, with Noah getting two fours against Washington and Arshdeep each. In the 19th over, Hardik leaked 18 runs, getting hit for a six over deep extra cover by Zach and Noah ended the over with two successive fours, taking the score to 166/6 with one over to go.

Zach’s cameo was ended by Shivam, as Washington’s fine catch sent him back for 26 in 16 balls, with a four and six. The Netherlands fought well, ending the chase at`176/7 in 20 overs, with Noah (25* in 12 balls, with five fours) and Logan van Beek (4*) unbeaten.

Varun’s fierce spell of 3/14 in three overs and Dube’s 2/35 in three overs were the highlights of Indian bowling. India’s crisis man Shivam Dube delivered yet again with a majestic half-century, which helped his side to reach 193/6 against the Netherlands in their last group stage fixture.

Dube slammed his maiden fifty in the T20 WC in just 25 balls. Dube smashed 66 runs off 31 balls, including 4 fours and 6 sixes. Dube, along with Hardik Pandya (30 in 21 balls, with three sixes), stitched a brilliant partnership of 76 for the fifth wicket.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to bat. Abhishek Sharma’s nightmare continued with three matches, three ducks in the. After two straight zeroes, he looked jittery and tried to swing his way back into form, but Dutch off-spinner Aryan Dutt’s delivery slipped past his bat and rattled the stumps.

Dutt troubled the Indian batters early on and also dismissed a red-hot Ishan Kishan (18 in seven balls) as the ball trickled onto the stumps–India finished the powerplay at 51/2.

Roelof van der Merwe, 41, pulled off a stunning, diving catch at long-off to end the budding partnership between Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma (31 in 27 balls, with three fours and a six), removing the latter. India was 74/3 after 10 overs.

After a quiet few overs, India launched into the attack in the 12th over, with Yadav picking up a six on the leg side. Shivam Dube then got into the act, hitting two sixes and a four, as India amassed 19 runs in the 13th over. The 100-run mark came for India in 12.4 overs.

Despite Yadav departing for 34 (in 28 balls, with two fours and a six), Dube carried on in the same vein, muscling the ball all around the park. India took the driving seat in the final five overs as it added 75 runs to take their total past 190.

For the Netherlands, Logan van Beek (3/56), Aryan Dutt (2/19) and Kyle Klein (1/38) were among the wickets. (ANI)