A blazing half-century by Shivam Dube and a triple strike from Varun Chakravarthy powered India to a 17-run victory over the Netherlands in the T20 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday.

Defending 194, India struck early when Varun bowled Max O’Dowd for 20 off 18 balls with his fourth delivery. Hardik Pandya then had Michael Levitt caught by Washington Sundar at midwicket for 24, leaving the Netherlands at 51/2 in the eighth over.

Reintroduced in the 13th over, Varun dismissed Colin Ackermann for 23 as he holed out to Rinku Singh. Off the very next ball, he castled Aryan Dutt with a googly as the Dutch slumped to 94/4. Late hitting from Zach Lion-Cachet and Noah Croes reduced the margin of defeat, but India were never seriously threatened. Dube capped his all-round show with two wickets.

Earlier, Dube smashed 66 off 31 balls, studded with six sixes and four fours, to lift India to 193/6 after a shaky start. He shared a 76-run stand for the fifth wicket with Hardik Pandya off just 35 balls. Dube reached his fifty in 25 balls before falling in the final over, while Hardik made 30 off 21 deliveries.

India’s innings began poorly as Abhishek Sharma was bowled by Aryan Dutt for his third successive duck in the tournament. Dutt also dismissed Ishan Kishan for 18, leaving India at 39/2. Tilak Varma made 31 before being caught at long-off, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav scored 34 before falling in the 14th over.

India had won the toss and opted to bat. Arshdeep Singh returned to the playing XI, while Washington Sundar featured in his first match of the tournament.

Source: Daijiworld