India’s middle-order batters once again rose to the occasion with Shivam Dube stealing the spotlight by posting his career best 66 off 31 to make up for the early departures of the top-order, dropped catches and an average performance by the bowlers, as the team India scripted a 17-run win over Netherlands and entering the Super-8 stage unbeaten.Dube, whose previous best was 63 scored in 2024 against Afghanistan, shared a 76-run stand with Hardik Pandya (30 off 21) to provide the much-needed push in the last five overs, which yielded 75.Varun Chakravarthy then once again impressed with a 3/14 in three overs. Riding high on the heroics of Dube and Pandya, the side managed to score 193/6.The match, which was believed to be a ‘warm-up’ for the Indian team before their game against South Africa next here, raised many concerns for the co-hosts. The first and foremost was the form of Abhishek Sharma, who once again returned to the hut in the very first over. The second was of Indian bowlers going wicket-less or conceding too many runs.While Jasprit Bumrah, Pandya and Dube managed to get wickets, Arshdeep Singh failed to take any in his three-over spell conceding 22. The same happened with Washington Sundar, who leaked 36 in four overs of his first match of the tournament.Surprises came as early as during the toss after Suryakumar Yadav opted to bat instead of fielding first. And the management picked Washington over Kuldeep Yadav.Nevertheless, Ishan Kishan and Abhishek were entrusted to open the innings. However, Abhishek was once again caught in the dark while facing Aryan Dutt. During last evening’s practice session, the Indian team specifically asked for spinners at nets, bowling to batters including Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh and Abhishek.However, the side started off on a shaky note all thanks to Netherlands’ off-spinner Dutt, who marked a stellar spell in the powerplay. Dutt bowled three overs in the powerplay to tackle the left-handed duo of Abhishek and Kishan (18) and control Tilak Varma (31).After Abhishek was bamboozled by Dutt, Kishan was quick to get off the blocks before falling to the off-spinner in a bizarre fashion. Trying to target Dutt on the leg-side, Kishan played on to his stumps with the ball diverted from his thigh and elbow.Tilak, who started with a six, fell after the 41-year-old Roelof van der Merwe took a stunner at long-off. Struggling at 69/3 in 9 overs, India would have been down to four in the next over if Michael Levitt had not dropped a sitter off the Indian skipper Yadav (31 off 27). Thereafter, Dube’s took over, hitting six sixes and four fours. He got support from Pandya, before Rinku did his job by smashing a six in the last over.Already out of reckoning, the Dutch batters posted 176/7 with Bas de Leede scoring 33. The evening was brightened by Zach Lion-Cachet (26 off 16) and Noah Croes (25 off 12), as the side fought till the end of the innings. The Dutch had a fast start, but Chakravarthy removed Collin Ackermann (25 off 13) and Aryan Dutt off successive balls in the 13th over to leave the Netherlands at 94/4.
