India’s coach Gautam Gambhir, left, and captain Suryakumar Yadav, right, during a practice session ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and the Netherlands, at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, on February 17, 2026.
| Photo Credit: PTI
With a 61-run rout of archrival Pakistan securing their passage to the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup, the Men in Blue will look to cap off their group stage campaign on a high when they take on the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday (February 18, 2026).
The stakes are low, but the contest is not without context for the Indians. The Dutch challenge will be an opportunity for India to gear up for sterner tests, starting with South Africa, which it faces here on Sunday in a tantalising rematch of last edition’s finalists.
Having won all three of their group stage matches here, the Proteas have a measure of the conditions, and their pace quartet has employed the slower deliveries to devastating effect. The Flying Dutchmen may not be as distinguished as their South African counterparts, but their bowling attack possesses the variety to provide India with a pertinent prelude. Logan van Beek and Bas de Leede can skillfully vary their pace, while Fred Klaassen provides the left-armer’s angle.
Need a miracle
The Dutch, who stunned South Africa and Bangladesh when they last visited these shores for the ODI World Cup in 2023, can punch above their weight on the big stage. However, they don’t have fate in their hands and will need a miracle, including a Namibian upset against Pakistan, to progress further.
India will hope its generational pacesetter, Abhishek Sharma, can reclaim his destiny after registering twin ducks in his maiden T20 World Cup campaign. Inspiration is just 22 yards away for the 25-year-old, with Ishan Kishan, his opening partner, in the form of his life.
If some of Kishan’s confidence can trickle down to the middle-order, it would hold India in good stead. Though skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma negotiated Pakistan’s spinners with due diligence on a tricky surface in Colombo, their rut against the tweakers is symptomatic of a larger middle-order malaise, which was exposed by Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus’ spell (four for 20) recently. India’s cumulative batting average (18.15) and run rate (6.94) against spin are the lowest amongst the 10 top-ranked sides in this competition.
The pitch here, though, has favoured stroke-play against the spinners and could offer the Indian middle-order a much-needed release.
The host’s clinical bowling unit has little to fret over. The conditions could prompt a rejig, with Kuldeep Yadav making way for an extra seamer in Arshdeep Singh.
Published – February 17, 2026 10:36 pm IST
