India vs Netherlands, 36th Match, Group A, ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 - Commentary

India continue their winning run. They still remain the side to beat in this competition. The Super 8s should be good fun with South Africa, West Indies and Zimbabwe in their group. Meanwhile for Netherlands more lessons and learnings for them. They will use this experience and hopefully get better. Time to end our coverage here. We have another triple-header tomorrow. We are done with one today. A long day and we want to escape. See you soon. Bye bye.

Suryakumar Yadav | India captain: "Yeah, obviously, I think we wanted to bat first. We went on to score 190 and then coming out, there was a little bit of dew, a little bit challenging for the bowlers, but all in all, at the end of the day, very happy. (happy to bat first and with dew?) Exactly, I mean, we might be in a similar situation on the next day also. We might get a slow start, but it's very important for all the batters to understand what the responsibility is, how the wicket is playing in the middle overs. And then, later on, we have enough firepower with Hardik, Shivam, Rinku, Axar or Washi, anyone to finish the game nicely. (on Dube) I think it was due. Against the New Zealand, when he played at Vizag, he got another wonderful knock. He wanted to take that Man of the Match in the game, but couldn't finish it. But today, I think the way he 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. (ticked all boxes?) I mean, you can say that we have ticked almost all the boxes, but even if you win, you learn something out of it. And we have learned a few areas. We'll go back to the rooms, have a day off tomorrow, and have a chat on that. (on so many bowling options) Sometimes it's a good headache to have. How many bowlers do I have in the middle? Abhishek Sharma coming in, then Hardik, Dube. So I have a lot of option [options] in the middle. Whatever it is, on a given day, whatever the wicket demands, I think they can chip in with a few overs. (on his form) I mean, I'm very happy with the way things are moving on. The contribution is almost coming from every single batter. That's what I want, those small, small partnerships. When the game is a little tight, one or two might have a beautiful day, but then we need support from all the batters to get to a good score."

Scott Edwards | Netherlands captain: "Yeah, I thought we started really well. I thought a lot of credit to Aryan. He's been sensational for us for a few years now. And yeah, I thought he really brought it up to them and almost got us that third wicket there. And yeah, we felt right in the game the whole way. (on restricting India for most of their innings) Yeah, absolutely. You know, we know they've got firepower right the way down. So, you know, to keep those guys under control for, you know, 14, 15 overs, was sensational I thought, you know, maybe a couple of missed chances, maybe a little bit of misexecution and players like this will make you pay. Yeah, absolutely. I think, you know, we knew we had to take wickets throughout, you know, four down, I think it was, at 16. So they obviously had wickets in hand there. And yeah, and obviously took down a few overs at the end. (on their tournament) Yeah, I think any time you come to India, you learn a lot because it is different. You know, the grounds are a lot smaller, the wickets are quite flat. The crowds, all this, you know, there's so much hype around it. So, yeah, you know, I feel like as a team, we were good in patches and we probably just missed key moments. You know, so it's almost what could have been. (could you have played better?) Yeah, absolutely. I think as a group, we pride ourselves on playing well in those big moments. And, you know, I think we played a lot of good cricket and then there were probably just a few moments. And when it's... when you only play four games, you've got to make those moments count."

Stats by Roshan Gede

Most bowlers used by India in a T20 WC match
8 vs SA, Trent Bridge, 2009
8 vs AUS, Colombo RPS, 2012
7 vs AFG, Gros Islet, 2010
7 vs PAK, Colombo RPS, 2026
7 vs NED, Ahmedabad, 2026

- India have used 12 bowlers in the tournament so far, the most they have in a single T20 World Cup edition, surpassing 11 in 2009 in England.

- India have dropped nine catches in the tournament, the second-most among the 20 teams after Ireland (10). Namibia is third on this list with six.

- 176/7 is Netherlands’ highest T20I score without an individual fifty, surpassing 174/4 against Nepal at Lord’s in 2018.

- It is also their second-highest team total in the T20 World Cup, only behind 193/4 in 13.5 overs in their famous run-chase against Ireland in Sylhet in 2014.

Most consecutive wins in Men’s T20 WC
12* - India (2024-2026)
8 - South Africa (2024)
8 - Australia (2022-2024)
7 - England (2010-2012)
7 - India (2012-2014)

Shivam Dube | Player of the Match: (highest score in T20Is, you must have enjoyed that?) "Yeah, it was a little tough on the wicket, but yeah, this is the situation I love to bat and I was enjoying, although I was in pressure at some time, but yeah, the off-spinner bowled really well to me and four dot balls, a good over from my side, but I knew that I'm gonna cover later. (was the ball skidding and keeping low?) It was skidding as well as it was keeping low. One of the balls spun as well. So for me, it was like, yes, I can hit him, but at that time the situation demands something else. So I have to play at that time. (you prefer hitting down the ground?) I tried to hit boundaries. I try to hit six. I enjoy hitting sixes, but the situation demands the bowler is good. I have to prepare myself to hit boundaries as well. (you were not committing) Yeah, definitely, because I have worked in that way also, because I know all the bowlers, they're going to block me as well. They'll not bowl me yorkers or length balls. They're going to come short. They're going to bowl me slower balls. So I prepared myself, so I was waiting for that. (clarity of thought) Yeah, definitely, as the captain and coach has told me that I have to keep the strike rate at high when I come in middle overs, but it depends on the situation. When I came today, it was not that situation I can take the strike-rate at high, but at some time there was, there was something I thought that this is the time I can go now. (how much importance does he give his bowling?) Yeah, definitely I'm working really hard towards my bowling and yeah, the results are coming, but yes, it's a T20 game. You're going to hit, you'll get hit sometime, but you'll take wickets as well."

22:37 Local Time, 17:07 GMT, 22:37 IST: So nice of Logan van Beek to check with SKY on how he's feeling. SKY holds his chest and smiles, suggesting he is fine. The Indian juggernaut rolls on. They end their group stages unbeaten. Netherlands gave it their best but still came up short. O'Dowd again struggled and Levitt too didn't time the ball. Bas de Leede and Ackermann looked dangerous in their stand but once again it was that man - Varun who was crucial. He bowled superbly and finished with 3/14 in 3 overs. SKY opted to give the likes of Dube and Hardik bowling practice at the death as he knew India had enough in the tank for them to win. A couple of drops is what will worry India especially that collision between SKY and Rinku which could've been potentially tournament-ending for either of them. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff....

Shivam Dube to Zach Lion-Cachet, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Bumrah is suggesting something. He wants Shivam Dube to bowl the slower-ball into the wicket.

28 off the last over. Dube to bowl.