In a thrilling encounter at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, Netherlands captain Scott Edwards lauded India’s batting prowess following a hard-fought 17-run loss in the T20 World Cup 2026.
Chasing 194, Netherlands managed 176 for 7, with skipper Edwards highlighting how India’s lower middle-order turned the tide. After restricting India to 118 for 4 in 15 overs, the hosts’ firepower erupted.
‘You know they have massive firepower down the order,’ Edwards noted. ‘We bowled brilliantly early on, but some opportunities slipped, and our execution wasn’t perfect. With wickets in hand after the 16th over, they accelerated brutally in the death overs.’
Star performer Aryan Dutt earned special mention, his economical spell of 2/19 keeping Netherlands in contention. ‘Aryan deserves all the credit,’ the captain said. ‘He’s been consistently brilliant and gave their batters a real test.’
India’s rescue act came from Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya, who dismantled the Dutch bowling. Netherlands end Group A fourth with one victory in four outings.
Edwards reflected on the tour: ‘India teaches you volumes – unique pitches, compact boundaries, flat tracks, and that atmosphere. We showed promise as a unit but lacked in crunch situations. When you play only four matches, those pivotal moments define your tournament.’
Despite the exit, Edwards sees value in competing against giants like India, fueling Netherlands’ ambition for future challenges.