T20 WC: All-round India clinches 56-run win over Netherlands

SYDNEY: A superb performance by Indian bowlers coupled with half-centuries by a trio of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav helped the all-round Men in Blue clinch a 56-run win over the Netherlands in their Group 2, Super 12 match of ongoing ICC T20 World Cup at Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

With this win, India is at the top spot in the points table with four points in two wins in two matches.

The Netherlands is at the bottom and has yet to score a point after two losses.

Chasing 180, the Netherlands got off to a bad start, losing openers Vikramjit Singh (1) and Max ODowd (16) to pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and spinner Axar Patel respectively. The stumps of both the openers were rattled, reducing the Dutch to 20/2 in 4.2 overs.

The duo of Bas de Leede and Colin Ackermann took the Netherlands through the remainder of the powerplay safely.

At the end of six overs, Netherlands was at 27/2, with Leede (7*) and Ackermann (2*) at the crease.

The short-lived 27-run partnership between the duo was ended by Axar Patel after he dismissed de Leede for 16 off 23 balls with assistance from Hardik Pandya at backward point. At the end of 10 overs, the Dutch were at 51/3, with Tom Cooper (3*) and Ackermann (13#) at the crease.

Following this, spinner Ravichandran Ashwin drove India to a more comfortable position in the match by dismissing Ackermann (17) and Cooper (9), reducing the Netherlands to 63/5.

Tom Pringle and Scott Edwards tried to put on a stand for their side. But the match was slipping away from them as the required run rate kept mounting. At the end of 15 overs, Netherlands was at 81/5, with Pringle (14*) and Edwards (3*). Pringle was the sixth batter down after Virat Kohli took a brilliant running catch at around mid-off, giving pacer Mohammad Shami his first wicket in the match. The Netherlands were six down at 87.

The Dutch side continued their downward spiral. Bhuvneshwar got his second wicket of the match and he sent back skipper Edwards for 5 off 8 balls.

Netherlands sunk to 89/7. Though the Netherlands crossed the 100-run mark in 17.4 overs, Arshdeep Singh took two quick scalps to dismiss Logan van Beek (3) and Fred Klaassen (0).

The Dutch side was reduced to 101/9 in 18 overs. Netherlands finished at 123/9 in their 20 overs, with Shariz Ahmad (16*) and Paul van Meekeren (14*) at the crease. The Dutch lost the match by 56 runs.

Batting first, India was off to a shaky start as they lost opener KL Rahul for 9 off 12 balls after a medium pacer Paul van Meekeren trapped his leg before the wicket. India was 11/1 in 2.4 overs.

Star batter Virat Kohli joined Rohit Sharma on the crease in the third over. The duo took India through the powerplay safely, without any further fall of a wicket. However, the Netherlands kept Indian batters subdued with their great line and length. At the end of six overs, India was at 32/1, with Kohli (6*) and Rohit (16*) at the crease.

Both batters did hit some big shots, but they struggled to connect properly and big outfields forced them to satisfy themselves with doubles. The duo brought up their 50-run stand in 41 balls, surviving many mistimed hits and catch attempts.

At the end of 10 overs, India was at a decent 67/1, with Rohit (42*) and Kohli (14*).

They needed to push their inning into the next gear now. Rohit Sharma brought up his half-century in 35 balls with a four, his 29th in the format. Kohli on the other hand still could not score a boundary. The 75-run stand between the duo was broken after Rohit was caught by Colin Ackermann at deep-midwicket on a delivery by medium pacer Fred Klassen. The skipper scored 53 off 39 balls with four boundaries and three sixes.

Suryakumar Yadav joined Kohli on the crease and the latter also broke his boundary drought with a straight four over the bowler's head. A four by Suryakumar took India to the 100-run mark in 13.2 overs.

Suryakumar kept showing his impressive range of shots, helping Men in Blue reach 114/2 in 15 overs, with Kohli (32*) and Suryakumar (17*). The 16th over was good for India as it gave them 14 runs.

In the next over, Virat also hit some attractive shots to bring up his second straight fifty in the tournament in just 36 balls, which was also his 35th in the format. The 17th over gave away 16 runs.

A boundary from Suryakumar helped India cross the 150-run mark in 17.5 overs. Suryakumar and Virat kept on piling runs, helping India finish at 179/2 in 20 overs. Suryakumar brought his fifty with six on the last ball. Virat finished with 62* off 44 balls with three boundaries and two sixes while Suryakumar finished with 51* off 25 balls with seven fours and a six.

The duo formed an unbeaten 95-run stand in 48 balls.

Fred Klaassen and Paul van Meekeran took a wicket each for Dutch.

Brief Scores: India: 179/2 (Virat Kohli 62*, Rohit Sharma 53, Paul van Meekeran 1/32) beat Netherlands: 123/9 (Tim Pringle 20, Colin Ackermann 17, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/9).