T20 World Cup: India beat Netherlands to complete perfect group stage as Shivam Dube shines with bat and ball
Shivam Dube's explosive 66 powers India to a 17 run win over the Netherlands, sealing a perfect Group A run at the T20 World Cup; Varun Chakravarthy and Dube combine with the ball to halt the Dutch chase as India advance to the Super 8s unbeaten
Wednesday 18 February 2026 19:49, UK
Shivam Dube eased T20 World Cup co‑hosts India into the Super 8s with a 100-per-cent Group A record after a 17‑run victory over the Netherlands.
India, who had already qualified, also stretched their winning run in T20 World Cups to 12 matches since 2024.
Their innings began poorly as Abhishek Sharma fell for a third straight duck, bowled by Aryan Dutt in the first over. Dutt then removed the in‑form Ishan Kishan for 18, leaving India 69‑3.
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Tilak Varma (31) and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (34) added 30 off 28 balls to steady things, with Yadav benefiting from a drop on 13.
The momentum shifted dramatically with the arrival of Dube, who played the leading role in India's total of 193‑6, hammering 66 from just 31 balls - including six sixes and four fours - and racing to his fifty off 25 deliveries.
Using the slower Dutch attack to his advantage, he combined with Hardik Pandya - who struck 30 off 21 - in a partnership worth 76 off 35 balls. Logan van Beek finished with 3‑56 for the Netherlands.
The Dutch reply began positively as Michael Levitt, Max O'Dowd and Colin Ackermann all reached the 20s, but none pushed on.
Bas de Leede top‑scored with 33 from 23 balls, while Zach Lion‑Cachet's 26 off 16 and Noah Croes' unbeaten 25 off 12 kept the chase alive late on.
India's bowlers, however, controlled the key moments. Mystery leg‑spinner Varun Chakravarthy delivered a decisive spell of 3‑14 from his three overs, doing much of the damage through the middle.
Dube capped an excellent all‑round performance by taking 2‑35 in his three overs, helping restrict the Netherlands to 176‑7 as India won by 17 runs to complete a perfect group stage on their way through to the Super 8s.
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