Dube lifts India to 193-6 against Dutch at T20 World Cup

Shivam Dube hit a counter-attacking 66 to lift holders India to 193-6 after a batting stutter against the Netherlands in their final group match at the T20 World Cup on Wednesday.

Co-hosts India elected to bat first in Ahmedabad but lost Abhishek Sharma in the first over for the opener’s third duck in a row in the tournament.

India were teetering at 110-4 before Dube put on a key stand of 76 with Hardik Pandya, who hit 30, to post a challenging total.

India are already through to the next round with three wins and their next assignment is their first match in the Super Eights on Sunday against South Africa at the same venue.

Off-spinner Aryan Dutt bowled Abhishek with the third ball to silence a large crowd at the world’s biggest cricket stadium and the Dutch bowlers continued to strike regular blows.

Dutt returned impressive figures of 2-19 from his four overs.

Several batters got starts but failed to capitalise as Ishan Kishan fell for 18, Tilak Varma made 31 and skipper Suryakumar Yadav contributed 34.

Dube kept calm and hit few lusty blows including two sixes and a four off-spinner Colin Ackermann, reaching his fifty off 25 balls with another boundary off Logan van Beek.

He and Pandya ensured India’s innings finished strongly although both were dismissed in the final over.

Dube, who hit four fours and six sixes in his 31-ball knock, was caught by substitute fielder Tim van der Gugten on the boundary rope, with Pandya picking out a fielder in the deep off the final delivery by Van Beek.