India will look to round off their group-stage campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a perfect record when they face the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday evening. The clash, scheduled to start at 7 pm IST, will be livestreamed on JioHotstar and broadcast on Star Sports in India.
After a commanding 61-run victory over Pakistan, India has already secured qualification for the Super Eight stage. However, the final Group A game is far from a dead rubber, as it provides an opportunity to fine-tune combinations and address lingering concerns ahead of a high-profile clash against South Africa.
Abhishek Sharma remains a focal point for India’s batting, having struggled to find form so far in the tournament. Opening partner Ishan Kishan’s in-form strokeplay could be crucial in helping India’s middle order gain momentum. Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma’s disciplined handling of spinners against Pakistan highlighted India’s tactical strengths, but their performance against spin will continue to be closely monitored.
India’s bowling unit has been sharp, led by Jasprit Bumrah, who is expected to play despite qualification being secured. The team management may tweak the combination slightly, with Arshdeep Singh possibly replacing Kuldeep Yadav to exploit the quicker conditions in Ahmedabad.
The Netherlands have proven themselves dangerous on the global stage, with notable upsets over South Africa and Bangladesh in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. Their attack, featuring Logan van Beek, Bas de Leede, Fred Klaassen, Aryan Dutt, and Roelof van der Merwe, provides variety and subtlety, offering India a valuable rehearsal against diverse bowling options.
Ahmedabad has favoured high-scoring encounters in this T20 World Cup, and the pitch is expected to assist batters, making it likely that the team winning the toss will opt to bat first and post a big total.
India and the Netherlands have met only once in T20 internationals, with India winning by 56 runs in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Sydney. The predicted playing XIs suggest India will field Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakravarthy. The Netherlands are likely to field Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (capt & wk), Zach Lion-Cachet, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Roelof van der Merwe, and two of Kyle Klein, Fred Klaassen, and Paul van Meekeren.
This Group A finale promises an exciting contest, with India aiming to end their group stage on a high note while using the game as preparation for the Super Eight stage.
