T20 World Cup: India wins against Netherlands; tops Group 2

India thrashed the Netherlands by 56 runs to register its second win in a row in the Super 12 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Sydney on Thursday (October 27).

After having opened the campaign with a thrilling last-ball victory over Pakistan in Melbourne on Sunday, India had it easy against the Associate nation. After scoring 179/2 in 20 overs, the ‘Men in Blue’ restricted the Netherlands to 123/9 in 20 overs.

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It was a collective effort where both the batting and bowling units clicked in unison. Skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav hit half-centuries while bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin took two wickets apiece.

Bhuvneshwar was brilliant at the start of the innings, bowing two consecutive maidens including a maiden wicket over, inside the powerplay. His final figures were 2/9 in three overs.

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Tim Pringle was the top scorer for the Netherlands with 20 while the next best was 17 by Colin Ackermann. Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede and Sharid Ahmad made 16 runs each.

Speaking after the win, Rohit said, “When you’re expected to win, the pressure is a lot more. This was a near-perfect game for us. I won’t say we were in a spot of bother at the start, wicket was on the slower side and we couldn’t play our shots right at the start. With the ball, we were clinical. I am not entirely happy with the way I batted, wouldn’t say it was a perfect knock. Just to get some runs under my belt was good. I have to get runs, good looking or ugly looking, doesn’t matter. It is important to keep that confidence ticking.”

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India is now on top of the Group 2 table with 4 points from 2 games. South Africa is second with 3 points from 2 matches. The Netherlands has now lost both its games after qualifying for the Super 12s.

India’s next match is against South Africa on Sunday (October 30) in Perth. The game starts at 4:30 pm IST.

Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav once again provided the final flourish with a breath-taking 51 not out off only 25 balls as he overshadowed senior pros Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in India’s 179 for 2.

For his superb batting display, @surya_14kumar bags the Player of the Match award as #TeamIndia beat Netherlands to seal their 2⃣nd win of the #T20WorldCup. 👏👏 #INDvNED

Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/Zmq1ap148Q pic.twitter.com/4ocyzx7i3k

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 27, 2022

The Indian batting save all but one fired in unison as skipper Rohit (53 off 39 balls) became the pace setter while the team’s No. 1 batter Kohli played the role of an anchor to perfection with a top-score of 62 not out off 44 balls.

Kohli conjured two vital partnerships – 73 for the second wicket with Rohit and 95 for the unbroken third wicket with Surya as KL Rahul’s (9 off 12 balls) second successive failure stuck out like a sore thumb.

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But Rahul can consider himself a touch unlucky as right-arm seamer Paul van Meekeren’s delivery angled into his pads seemed like missing the leg stump but he was advised against taking the review by the skipper.

To be fair, the Netherlands bowlers did a reasonable job during the Powerplay when India scraped to 32 for 1.

India was 67 for 1 at the halfway stage but once Surya came in, the Orange bowling unit did look intimidated and once Kohli started putting pressure there was literally no escape.

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The back-10 yielded as many as 112 runs, courtesy Surya, who again hit some breath-taking shots including a lofted extra cover drive and the lap scoop over deep fine leg.

With as many as seven boundaries and a six off the last ball in his kitty, Surya showed why he is India’s most important batter in the format.

After opting to bat, Rohit initially struggled with his timing and left-arm seamer Fred Klaassen was unlucky that Tim Pringle made a hash of an easy catch when the Indian captain had mistimed a pull shot.

But once he connected a hook shot and then drove through the cover point region, he found some rhythm going his way as the fifty came off 35 balls. His innings had four boundaries and three sixes.

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While Rohit attacked, Kohli was happy to let him take the lead but remained alert while taking singles and converting the ones into twos. Once Rohit was dismissed, Kohli showed some aggression as his running between the wickets put pressure on the Netherlands attack.

Kohli’s fifty came off 37 balls, with three fours and two sixes but he ran the opposition ragged before allowing Surya to pounce on them for a delicious run-feast.

(With agency inputs)