Overview:
All things considered, India are the outright favourites given the nature of the wicket and their form in T20Is. They have plenty of batting firepower, which can unsettle the Dutch. The bowling will test the Netherlands.
The Indian men’s cricket team is set to take on the Netherlands in the 36th match of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup campaign, starting February 18. Notably, this match will be held at 7:00 pm IST at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Before this clash, South Africa will face the UAE in Delhi, whereas Pakistan will be up against Namibia at the SSC in Colombo.
India are the defending champions and are aiming to win their 3rd T20 World Cup. They won the inaugural tournament in 2007.
India, under Suryakumar Yadav, will be aiming to remain unscathed. They suffered a scare against the USA at the Wankhede, being reduced to 43/4 and 76/6 before a SKY special turned things around. Thereafter, they tamed Namibia by 93 runs. A massive win followed next against Pakistan.
For the Netherlands, this will be a tough contest. They would want to play their best cricket and offer a fight. The Dutch have played three matches, winning one and losing 2.
What is the Context of the IND vs NED match?
India will bring in Arshdeep Singh for Kuldeep Yadav, given the nature of the surface. The team is also hoping to see Abhishek Sharma come good after the southpaw faltered with two ducks in his 1st two T20 World Cup outings.
India come into this contest on the back of three wins against the UAE, Namibia, and Pakistan, respectively. The Indian side has already finished top of Group D to earn a Super 8 berth.
On the other hand, the Netherlands scared Pakistan despite a defeat and then thumped Namibia. However, a mammoth defeat against the USA was a low point for them.
In terms of the head-to-head record, India and the Netherlands have met once, with the Men in Blue winning the same. In Ahmedabad, India have a 6-2 win-loss record.
India – Probable Playing XI
Abhishek Sharma: The star batter is yet to score in his debut T20 World Cup, bagging 0 and 0 from two outings.
Ishan Kishan (wk): He enjoyed a terrific series against New Zealand. It included a century in the 5th T20I. Kishan started well against the USA and then scored a majestic fifty against Namibia. He also floored Pakistan with a fifty.
Tilak Varma: He has got starts in all three T20 World Cup games and owns scores worth 26 against the USA, 25 versus Namibia and 25 versus Pakistan.
Suryakumar Yadav (c): He hit a sublime 84* versus USA. He was out for 12 in the next clash. Against Pakistan, he managed a 29-ball 32.
Shivam Dube: A fierce player, Dube perished for a duck against the USA. He responded with a 23-run knock against Namibia and then 27 versus Pakistan.
Hardik Pandya: The star all-rounder managed a paltry 5 with the bat against the USA and then went wicketless. He fought back with a fifty against Namibia and also claimed two scalps. Versus Pakistan, he scored a duck before taking 2/16.
Axar Patel: He scored 14 runs against the USA before picking 2/24 from his 4 overs. He managed a duck and 2/20 versus Namibia. Against Pakistan, he scored 0 and then took 2/29.
Rinku Singh: He scored a 4-ball 11 in the previous clash versus Pakistan. The southpaw will want to make his bat talk.
Jasprit Bumrah: He will lead the Indian attack. Bumrah will be key both at the top and in the death overs. He owns 110 scalps.
Varun Chakravarthy: He will be the main spinner in India’s ranks. He owns an average of 15-plus in T20Is and has 65 wickets.
Arshdeep Singh: He has 121 scalps in T20Is and took 2/18 versus USA, showcasing his talent. He managed 1/36 versus Namibia.
Player to watch out for (Suryakumar Yadav): The aggressive Indian skipper is amongst the runs of late. He can floor the Dutch with a big knock.
Netherlands – Probable Playing XI
Michael Levitt: He has 24, 28 and three in the ongoing T20 WC. Overall, he has scored 921 T20I runs.
Max O’Dowd: He has failed with the bat, scoring 5, 7 and 13 from three matches in this 2026 T20 WC.
Bas de Leede: He has looked the best player for the Netherlands. He has hit 30, 72* and 23. With the ball, he owns 5 scalps.
Colin Ackermann: After scoring 20 and 32 in the 1st two games for the Netherlands in this year’s T20 WC, Colin bagged a duck versus the USA.
Scott Edwards (wk): The experienced batter has bagged 37, 18* and 20 in the ongoing event.
Zach Lion-Cachet: He has had an abysmal campaign, being a liability for the Dutch in that middle order.
Roelof van der Merwe: The experienced figure needs to stand tall and deliver. Despite a poor campaign, he is one of their best players.
Logan van Beek: He has taken 4 wickets from three matches in the ongoing event.
Aryan Dutt: He has picked three wickets from three matches in the ongoing T20 WC.
Paul van Meekeren: He played the last game and clocked 2/20. Before that, he didn’t feature in his side’s 1st two matches.
Fred Klaasen: The pacer had two scalps from two T20 WC games in this edition.
Player to watch out for (Bas de Leede): He remains a solid force upfront with his aggressive batting and eye for runs. With the ball, he is quite a force.
Top Batters for Dream11
In terms of the Dream11 team pick, among batters, the likes of Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav can be wise picks alongside Shivam Dube.
Ishan Kishan can be a differential pick. He promises fireworks and a sound tempo.
Best All-Rounders to Boost Points
In terms of all-rounders, one can go with two sound options in the form of Hardik Pandya and Bas de Leede.
Bowlers to Watch in Dream11
The likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy can be wise picks. Fred Klaasen can be another option.
Captain and Vice-captain picks
Varma can be an ideal captaincy option with O’Dowd being the vice-captain pick.
One can mix it with de Leede being picked as captain and having Kishan as the vice-captain.
Pitch Report & Venue Conditions
The pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium is expected to provide a balanced contest between bat and ball. Batters will need to show patience early on, as scoring freely may not be easy at the start. However, once set, they can accelerate and post strong totals, especially in the latter half of the innings. For bowlers, wickets may come at a premium due to the flat nature of the surface and the large outfield, which often turns good shots into singles rather than boundaries. Bowlers will need to work hard for wickets and bowl nice varieties and in tight channels.
Match Prediction – Who Has the Upper Hand?
All things considered, India are the outright favourites given the nature of the wicket and their form in T20Is. They have plenty of batting firepower, which can unsettle the Dutch. The bowling will test the Netherlands.
FAQs About IND vs NED Playing 11
Who are the key players in the IND vs NED clash?
Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav is amongst the runs of late. He can floor the Netherlands with a big knock. De Leede is massive for the Dutch with his all-round skills.