भारत vs नीदरलैंड्स, मैच 36, नरेंद्र मोदी स्टेडियम, अहमदाबाद, 18 February 2026 - कमेंट्री

A good wide yorker, outside off, Zach Lion-Cachet uses his feet and jams it out towards long on and comes back for the second run. 26 needed in 5 now.

DROPPED! That could have been even worse for India! Shivam Dube bowls a slower one, full and outside off. Zach Lion-Cachet reaches out but only manages to slice it. It goes high in the air over extra cover. SKY runs backwards and calls for it, while Rinku Singh comes forward from long off. Suryakumar Yadav circles around it but fails to settle under it and the ball hits his chest and falls out. Good thing they avoided the collision here. Two taken.

DROPPED AGAIN! Tilak Varma is the culprit here, and this is not the first time in this World Cup for him. Shivam Dube pitches it up, outside off. Zach Lion-Cachet throws his hands at it but once again slices it off the outer half of the bat towards deep point. Tilak runs forward and dives to grab it but fails to hold onto it as he hits the ground. A couple more added to the total.

OUT! TAKEN! Low full toss, outside off, Zach Lion-Cachet walks across the stumps and gets low to swing down the ground. Skies it towards long on, where Washington Sundar takes a few steps in off the ropes and takes a safe catch close to his chest.

Swing and a miss! Fuller and well wide outside off, Logan van Beek has a wild swing at it but misses. The bowler is lucky that it's not called a wide.

FOUR! INDIA WIN BY 17 RUNS! A boundary, but that will not be enough! Shivam Dube bowls a low full toss, outside off. Logan van Beek extends his arms to reach out and nails his drive through extra cover for four runs.

Fuller and on middle, takes pace off. Noah Croes takes a couple of steps forward and heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

SIX! The Dutch are not giving up here! Short of a length and outside off, slower again. Zach Lion-Cachet waits for it and plays it as a tennis player's forehand. He muscles it over the deep extra cover fence for a biggie.

A bouncer, on middle, pace on. Zach Lion-Cachet looks to pull but gets a top edge that falls safely towards the square leg region. They cross.

Bangs this into the pitch, outside off, takes pace off now. Noah Croes cuts it and gets it over backward point for a couple of runs.

FOUR! Picked up and how! Pitched up delivery, angling into the pads. Noah Croes picks it up nicely and flicks it stylishly to the deep backward square leg fence for a boundary.

FOUR! Excellent batting! Short again and outside off, slower as well. Noah Croes backs away to create room. He waits for it and crunches it over point for four more runs. 28 needed in the last over.

Short of a length and on middle, Zach Lion-Cachet pulls it to deep square leg for a single. Washington Sundar fumbles but that does not cost anything.

FOUR! Innovative and effective! Arshdeep Singh misses his yorker and bowls full, on middle and off. Noah Croes changes his stance, gets under it and nails the reverse scoop to the third man fence for his third boundary in three balls.

Arshdeep Singh gets the yorker right this time, on off. Noah Croes goes down for the sweep but misses. It goes off his toe towards deep third for a leg bye.

Low full toss, on middle, angling in, Zach Lion-Cachet drags it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Unlucky! A full toss, on middle, Noah Croes absolutely smashes it down the pitch. Arshdeep Singh gets his left hand out of the way of the ball but it hits the stumps at the other end and goes nowhere. Just a single. Could have easily been a boundary.

FOUR! No stopping that one! Fuller delivery from around the wicket, on off. Zach Lion-Cachet makes room to access the off side and bludgeons it through extra cover for four runs. 12 runs off the over!

Floated, short and on middle, Zach Lion-Cachet nudges it through mid-wicket for a single.

Slower through the air, full and outside off. Noah Croes tries to go for the reverse sweep but misses.

Drops it short and on middle, Noah Croes punches it down to long on for a run.

Another short ball, on leg, Zach Lion-Cachet flicks it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for one.

FOUR! Somehow gets it away! Fires this one full and on off. Noah Croes goes for the reverse sweep again. It looks like he is beaten for all money but just gets a bottom edge as the ball races to the third man fence for a boundary.

FOUR! To the other side now! Flatter, full and on off. Noah Croes goes down again for the sweep. Gets an inside edge that nutmegs him and it races away to the fine leg fence this time for four more runs. 58 needed in 18 balls now.

A slower one, full and on middle, angling in. Zach Lion-Cachet chips it towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Superb shot! Jasprit Bumrah bowls another slower one but gets his length wrong. This is a full toss, on middle. Scott Edwards anticipates it early, switches the grip on the bat and reverse scoops it over short third for a boundary.

Back of a length and on off, nips back in, Scott Edwards stabs it out towards extra cover for a run.

Pace on, full and on middle, angling in, Zach Lion-Cachet flicks it to deep mid-wicket for another run.

OUT! BOWLED 'EM! Boom, Boom Bumrah. He goes fuller again, on middle and off, gets it to angle in, pace on again. Scott Edwards tries to play his favourite shot. He goes down across to swipe it away but gets undone by the pace of Bumrah. It goes through and shatters the stumps. Netherlands are 125/6 now, needing 69 runs in 25 balls.

Nails another yorker, on middle, tailing in, Noah Croes gets his bat down to dig it out well.

Sundar drops it short, on middle. Edwards uses the depth of the crease and nudges it in front of deep mid-wicket for a single.

Pushes it through, short and on middle and leg, Lion-Cachet whips it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket. Gets off the mark with a single.

This is slower through the air and a bit fuller too, outside off. Edwards reaches out in front for the sweep. Helps it behind square leg for a single.

From around the wicket now, shorter and on leg, Lion-Cachet turns it square on the leg side and crosses over.

Back to over the wicket, flat and short, Scott hammers the pull to deep mid-wicket. Just a single.

Six singles off the over! Sundar continues to bowl it into the surface and offers no air. On the shorter side, on middle. Zach punches it to long on for another single. Netherlands are 118/5, needing 76 runs off 30 balls.

FOUR! Cleverly played! Dube is becoming a bit too predictable. Sticks to the wide line, near the tramline, full in length. Edwards takes a step across the stumps and gets low for the sweep. He manages to get under the ball and sweeps it aerially towards deep square leg for a four.

Gets the yorker in, outside off, Scott jams it out to extra cover. They cross.

SIX! Good hit! Dube bangs it into the deck, pace-off, but this sits up to be hit. Bas picks the slower ball and waits for it to arrive. He hops and slaps it over long on for a biggie.

Just short! Full and outside off, de Leede stays deep in the crease and has a swing at it. Hits it flat towards long off, where Tilak Varma comes charging in off the ropes but the ball drops in front. He gets half a hand on it and prevents the ball from going past him. It is parried away to his right. Two runs taken.

Very full, outside off, Bas squeezes it out to extra cover and crosses over.

OUT! CAUGHT! Shivam Dube lets out a sigh of relief. The ploy to bowl full and wide finally brings about success for Dube. Bas shuffles across the stumps to make contact. He goes hard on the drive but the ball comes off a thickish outside edge. It goes flat to short third, where Varun Chakaravarthy is a bit fine on the edge of the ring. He hops and takes a sharp catch around his waist. Netherlands' chances in the chase take a big dent.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Varun Chakaravarthy breaks through for India. This is the googly, on a length, on middle. Ackermann clears the front leg and attempts the slog sweep. He takes on the longer side of the boundary. Gets the height but not the distance. Rinku Singh circles under it by moving to his right at the deep mid-wicket fence and he takes a safe catch.

OUT! CLEANED HIM UP! You miss, I hit, says Chakaravarthy. Another googly but this is fuller as well as quicker, on middle. A pretty ambitious shot first up by Dutt. He has a big heave across the line and the ball slides past the inside edge to clatter into the stumps. Two in two for Varun. He is on a hat-trick.

Scott Edwards negotiates it well! This keeps coming into the right-hander, shorter and on the off pole. Scott drops his bat down on the ball and works it to deep third for a single.

Full and attacking the front pad. De Leede drives it to long on for a single.

A bit of air given, full and on off, Scott presses forward and pushes it to wide long off for one more.

The ball stays a bit low, on the shorter side, on off. Bas hangs back to deal with it. Gets an inside edge and the ball goes wide of deep square leg for a couple of runs.

PUT DOWN! Washington Sundar could not quite cling on. Short and wide on off. Colin Ackermann reaches out and slaps it aerially to point. Sundar leaps across and sticks out his right hand, but the ball does not stick. It goes behind for a single.

Fuller and on off, Bas leans on and strokes it through covers for one more run.

Wide! Dube spots Colin moving towards the off side and he pushes this one away from the right-hander. It goes beyond the tramline. Ackermann lets it go.

Fuller and wider on off, Ackermann is across his stumps again. He digs it out to point. It might have been called a wide had he left it.

FOUR! Smart batting! Dube sticks to the wide line and the length is full. Ackermann knows that square leg is up inside the circle. He gets low and sweeps it over square leg for a boundary. One bounce and over the ropes. Shivam is trying to prevent being hit on the shorter side, which is the leg side.

Full and wide again, Colin Ackermann shuffles across and hits it to long off and they cross over.

FOUR! Gets it away! Near the tramline, full in length, Bas reaches out to force it away on the off side. Gets it off the toe end and Abhishek Sharma at a square deep third is beaten to his left despite the dive. 12 runs off the over, 22 off the last 2.

Nearly chopped it onto the stumps! Fractionally short, around off. Bas makes room to slap it away. The ball stays a bit low and goes past the off stump off an inside edge. It rolls to short fine leg for one.

Angled in at the right-hander, on a nagging length, punched to long on for a run.

Floated up, on middle. De Leede uses his feet and clips it through mid-wicket for another single.

SIX! Clean strike! Tossed up, on a length, on middle. Colin Ackermann backs away and even though he does not get to the pitch of the ball, he swings through. Clubs it over wide long on for a six.

Full and drifting in at the pads, Ackermann clips it through square leg and turns the strike over.

Full and speared in, on leg, Bas clears the front leg and swings to force it down the ground. The ball catches an inside edge and dribbles to short fine leg.

Short of a length and angling into the body of the batter. Bas de Leede gets a bit cramped up but manages to pull it to deep square leg for a single.

Tries to be cheeky but does not work out! Hardik Pandya serves this full and just outside off. Colin Ackermann shuffles across and looks to play the scoop but gets in an awkward position and misses.

SIX! All the way! Hard-length delivery, on middle, angling in a bit. Colin Ackermann, with the flick of the wrists whips it. It goes more off the top edge and flies over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.

Back of a length and on off, Colin Ackermann stabs it out towards extra cover for one.

FOUR! Up and over! Short and wide outside off, slower as well, asking to be hit. Bas de Leede does not miss out. He extends his arms to use the width and cuts it over cover-point for a boundary.

WIDE! A slower bouncer, around off, but too high. Bas de Leede lets it go. The umpire thinks about it and gives a wide eventually.

Lands this on a good length and on off, jags back in. Bas de Leede looks to flick it away but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls to the off side. The batters cross for a leg bye.

Flighted, full and on off, Colin Ackermann strides out and pushes it through covers for a single.

FOUR! Nicely done! Floated, full and on middle, turns in. Bas de Leede skips down the track, uses his bottom hand and heaves it between deep mid-wicket and long on for a boundary.

A shout for LBW, but turned down! Flatter delivery, full and around off, Bas de Leede goes down and across for the sweep but misses and gets hit on the pads. SKY has a chat with his bowler and keeper and takes the review. The replay shows that there is no bat involved. Ball Tracking shows that the ball is hitting the stumps, but the impact is umpire's call, which saves Bas de Leede. The on-field call of Not Out remains. A lot closer than it initially looked, but India keep their review.

Dragged back, on middle, Bas de Leede punches it to long on for a run.

Slows it up, full and on middle, turns away, Colin Ackermann stays back and keeps it out to the off side.

Goes quicker now, full and on middle, angling in. Colin Ackermann clips it wide of short mid-wicket. Suryakumar Yadav dives to his left to stop the single.

Back of a length and around off, Bas de Leede steps across and punches it to long off for a single.

FOUR! Fine shot! Hardik Pandya bowls the slower one but serves this too full, outside off. Michael Levitt stays leg side of the ball, gets low and waits for it before smacking it through covers for a boundary.

On a length and on off, Michael Levitt steers it away through point for a run. 50 comes up for Netherlands!

Hits the length hard and outside off, Bas de Leede slaps it to sweeper cover for another run.

OUT! TAKEN IN THE DEEP! Hardik Pandya strikes in his first over. He bangs this into the pitch, on middle, rolls his fingers to take pace off. Michael Levitt hangs back to pull it but goes through the shot a bit early and does not get the elevation. It flies towards deep mid-wicket, where Washington Sundar settles under it near the ropes and times his jump nicely to grab it above his head. The Netherlands are 51/2, still needing 143 runs in 73 balls.

Good length and on off, Colin Ackermann guides it off the outer half of the bat to deep point for one.

Shorter in length and on off, Michael Levitt backs away and punches it to short cover.

FOUR! Gets it away! Washington Sundar bowls this flatter, short again and angling into the leg side. Michael Levitt backs away, goes down on one knee and swipes it away to the deep backward square leg fence for a boundary.

Tossed up nicely, full and on middle, Michael Levitt taps it away towards backward point for a quick single.

Floated, full and on off, turns in, Bas de Leede eases it to long on for a run.

Drags his length back, on middle, Michael Levitt moves back and flicks it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Shortish delivery, on off, Bas de Leede waits for it and chips it towards long on for one more.

Flighted, full and around off, Max O'Dowd looks to drive it away but gets an inside edge through square leg for a single.

Flatter, shortish and on middle, Michael Levitt backs away to cut but gets a bottom edge towards short third for a run.

Pushed through quicker, short and on middle and leg, angling in. Max O'Dowd misses his flick and gets hit on the pads.

OUT! CASTLED! Varun Chakaravarthy keeps picking up wickets in this World Cup. He fires this one full and on middle, turns in as this is the googly. Max O'Dowd makes room and has a big hoick across the line but plays all over it. The ball goes through and uproots the leg stump out of the ground. Netherlands are 35/1, chasing 194 runs.

Another wrong 'un, full and on off, spins in. Bas de Leede gets stuck in his crease and tries to play it but gets an inside edge onto his pads. That saves him there.

WIDE! Quicker and shorter but down the leg side, Bas de Leede fails to glance it away. Wided.

Touch slower through the air, full and on middle, turns in again. Bas de Leede fails to read it and tries to work it across the line but misses and gets hit on the pads. Netherlands are 36/1 at the end of the Powerplay!

Pushes it through first up, short and on off, Max punches it to long on for a single.

Flat and short, around middle and leg. Levitt steps out early and then adjusts by tapping it to mid-wicket.

Fractionally short, on middle, Levitt pulls it in front of square leg for a single.

SIX! First biggie of the chase. This will give Max O'Dowd some confidence. Sundar spots Max backing away and he follows him with a ball bowled into the surface. O'Dowd manages to get inside the line and pulls it over backward square leg for a six.

Sundar keeps it on the shorter side, following the batter, Max manages to get it away as he pulls it wide of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Slower but the length stays short, on middle. Max checks his shot and punches it a bit uppishly to long on for a run. 11 runs off Sundar's first over on his return to the side.

DROPPED, FOUR! Abhishek Sharma is back on the field and straight away in the action. Angled in, on a good length, on off. Max pushes out in front of his body with hard hands and gets an outside edge. Sharma is standing at a wide slip and he dives across to his left. He goes for the catch with his left hand, but the ball does not stick. It hits his palm before going behind to the fence.

The interrogation continues for Max O'Dowd! Angled in and then moving away off the deck, around the off stump. Max goes searching for the ball and just hangs his bat out. Gets beaten all ends up on the outside edge.

Hits the top of off, does Bumrah, Max hops and dabs it to backward point.

Fuller and curving away slightly, Max stays rooted to the crease and goes hard on the drive as he looks to force it down the ground. Gets a thickish outside edge which goes down to deep third. They cross.

Bumrah tries to bring the ball back in but sprays it on the pads. Levitt misses out on the half-volley and gets rapped on the front pad.

Bumrah probably spotted Levitt taking a couple of steps down the track. He responds by taking the pace off, on a length, on off. Michael can only pat it down on the strip.

Across off, on a short of a length. Levitt stands tall on his toes to punch it away, but the ball comes on slower than he anticipated. Ekes out an inside edge onto the pads.

Nearly went to hand! On a nagging length, on middle, Levitt makes room to go through the off side. He opens the bat face to use the pace of the ball. It almost carries to the sub fielder, Axar Patel, who is standing at a wide slip. Axar dives to his left and manages to make the stop.

Dug in short, on off, Michael ducks under it.

Mishit but safe! On a short of a length, on middle. Levitt has a swipe across the line and the bat turns in his hands. He mistimes it uppishly towards mid on, where Washington Sundar runs around the ball rather than running at the ball. He moves to his right and collects it on the bounce. They cross.

Leg bye! Around the hips, on a short of a length, O'Dowd fails to get it away. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes off the pads to short fine leg.

FOUR! Flayed away! A bit too wide, on a back of a length. Levitt cashes in on the width as he slaps it over the leaping backward point fielder for a four.

Wide! A wayward start from Bumrah. Slips it down leg, on a length, Max misses out on the tickle.

An absolute ripper! Angled into the right-hander, on a good length, Max looks to defend it right under his eyes and brings his bat out in front. The ball threatens to angle in but then holds its line to zip past the outside edge and the bounce takes it over the stumps.

FOUR! Max O'Dowd is off the mark with an edgy boundary. In the corridor, on a good length. O'Dowd fiddles at the delivery well away from his body. Gets an outside edge that goes well wide of the man at first slip and fine of the deep third fielder.

Coming back into the right-hander, on a length, Max does not move his feet at all and swishes at it. He is beaten on the inside edge.

Well dug out! Tailing back in, right in the blockhole, on off and middle. O'Dowd keeps his front pad out of the firing line and drops his bat down on the ball.

This goes away from the right-hander after pitching, on a good length, around the off stump. Max looks to cover the line with a straight bat but misses.

On top of off, on a back of a length, Max watchfully stabs it down on the off side. End of a probing first over from Bumrah.

Rapped on the pads! A prolonged appeal from Arshdeep Singh but it seems to be doing too much. Suryakumar Yadav has a word with Ishan Kishan and eventually decides against the review. That may have even pitched outside the line. Hooping back in, full and on leg. Levitt steps out to counter the swing and attempts the flick but is beaten on the inside edge and gets hit on the front pad. Well, the Ball Tracking later shows it was pitching down the leg side. Good thing India did not review it.

FOUR! Lovely shot and Michael Levitt is underway, so are Netherlands! A better line, on middle but the length is a bit too full. Levitt shows the full face of the blade and knocks it all along the ground to the right of mid off for the first boundary.

Looked like the attempted outswinger from Arshdeep but the line is too straight. Full and on the pads. Michael clips it between mid-wicket an d mid on for a couple of runs. Washington Sundar gives chase and hauls it in.

Decking away on a hard length, around off, Levitt has a big swing across the line but the ball keeps rising and goes over his blade.

Another short ball, around the right shoulder. Levitt drops his wrists and sways away from the line of the ball.

Arshdeep sticks to the short ball, around off, Levitt takes a couple of steps down the track and glides it with an open bat face. He picks out the man at short third. A couple of yards to the left or right and it would have been a boundary.