India Eyes 12th Straight Win Against Netherlands in T20 World Cup: Abhishek Sharma's Duck Woes, Siraj's Potential Return
Digital Desk
India vs Netherlands T20 World Cup: Men in Blue chase 12th consecutive win at Ahmedabad amid Abhishek Sharma's struggles and spin challenges. Live updates, H2H, weather.
India's cricket juggernaut rolls on in the T20 World Cup, with eyes locked on a 12th consecutive victory against a knocked-out Netherlands in their final Group A clash at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Fresh off a commanding 61-run thrashing of Pakistan that sealed Super 8 qualification, the Men in Blue take the field today, using this dead rubber as a dress rehearsal for bigger battles.
Abhishek Sharma's Powerplay Puzzle
Abhishek Sharma, the 25-year-old opener, is under the spotlight in India vs Netherlands T20 World Cup action. Yet to open his account, he's notched golden ducks against USA and Pakistan, plus missed the Namibia game due to a stomach bug—four ducks in his last six innings. His high-risk style has fueled India's wins before, but experts like assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak urge tweaks. "No experiments in the XI," Kotak confirmed Tuesday, hinting at stability. Will Abhishek explode today, or stick to caution in the powerplay?
Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan shines as India's top scorer with 158 runs, just 16 shy of the tournament lead. A big knock from him could propel India past 200 on this high-scoring Ahmedabad deck, where the average run rate hits 9 per over—perfect prep for their Super 8 opener against South Africa here.
Spin Struggles and Bowling Tweaks
India's batters face scrutiny against spin after Namibia's Gerhard Erasmus and Pakistan's Usman Tariq rattled them. Suryakumar Yadav's side eyes a steady powerplay rate. Bowling-wise, expect Mohammed Siraj's return paired with Jasprit Bumrah. Varun Chakravarthy (6 wickets) and Axar Patel may edge out Kuldeep Yadav, ditching experiments per Kotak.
Head-to-head, India dominates Netherlands with a lone T20I win by 56 runs in Sydney—Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar's fifties powered 179/2, while bowlers like Bhuvneshwar and Arshdeep choked them to 123/9.
Ahmedabad Weather and Pitch Buzz
Warm evenings await, with temps from 21-34°C, no rain, but 22 km/h winds could sway the game. Narendra Modi Stadium, a T20 World Cup final contender, favors batsmen—India must exploit it for momentum into Super 8.
This India vs Netherlands T20 World Cup fixture matters now as a tune-up amid Abhishek Sharma's form dip and spin woes. A flawless outing sharpens the blade for knockout glory. Stay tuned for live updates—will the Men in Blue hit 12 in a row?
