In a thrilling encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Shivam Dube delivered a match-defining knock of 66 runs off just 31 balls against the Netherlands in the 36th match of the T20 World Cup 2026 qualifiers. This explosive innings, laced with 6 sixes and 4 fours, not only propelled India to a formidable total of 193 for 6 but also etched Dube’s name into cricket history as the fourth Indian batter to score a half-century against the Dutch in T20 cricket.
Dube’s aggressive approach came at a crucial juncture when India were wobbling at 110 for 4. Partnering with Hardik Pandya, he forged a blistering 76-run stand off 35 balls for the fifth wicket, turning the game on its head and setting a challenging target for the opposition. Earlier, the innings had a shaky start with Abhishek Sharma falling for a duck on the third ball of the match.
Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma steadied the ship with a quick 39-run partnership off 23 balls, but Kishan departed after scoring 18. Captain Suryakumar Yadav then chipped in with 34 runs, building partnerships of 30 with Tilak (who made 31) and 41 with Dube before perishing. On the bowling front for Netherlands, Logan van Beek was the standout with 3 for 56, supported by Aryan Dutt’s 2 wickets and Kyle Klein’s one.
Dube now joins an illustrious club featuring Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav, all of whom have notched fifties against Netherlands. Kohli’s unbeaten 62 came off 44 balls in Sydney on October 27, 2022, in the same match where Rohit smashed 53 off 39 and SKY blazed an unbeaten 51 off 25. Interestingly, no Namibian batter has ever reached a fifty against India in T20s, highlighting India’s dominance in such encounters.
This performance underscores Dube’s growing stature as a middle-order powerhouse, capable of dismantling bowling attacks on their home turf. As India eyes a strong finish in the qualifiers, Dube’s heroics could prove pivotal in their campaign.