Team India kicked off their T20 World Cup match against Netherlands with a toss victory, opting to bat under sunny skies at Ahmedabad’s iconic Narendra Modi Stadium. In this pivotal 36th fixture, Suryakumar Yadav’s side introduced two fresh faces to keep the momentum rolling.
Arshdeep Singh steps in for Kuldeep Yadav, bolstering the pace attack, as Washington Sundar takes over from the resting Axar Patel. Post-toss, SKY exuded confidence: ‘Batting first it is. Pitch seems batting-friendly; we want a big total to test their bowlers. Boys are in great form, just as I envisioned.’
Netherlands’ Scott Edwards, gracious in defeat at the toss, echoed the sentiment: ‘We’d have batted too. Perfect chance to bow out strongly—full commitment from us, with one change.’
India’s unbeaten streak in Group A—triumphs over USA (29 runs), Namibia (93 runs), and Pakistan (61 runs)—has them cruising to Super 8s. Netherlands, fourth with a lone win, fights for dignity.
India XI: Ishan Kishan (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.
Netherlands XI: Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (c/wk), Jake Lion-Cachet, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein, Noah Croes.
This matchup promises high-octane cricket, with India’s depth clashing against Netherlands’ grit, potentially capping India’s group stage in style.