Overview:
All things considered, India are the outright favourites given the nature of the wicket and their form in T20Is.
India and the Netherlands gear up for match number 36 of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, starting February 18. India have already qualified for the Super 8 stage, having topped the group. Meanwhile, the Netherlands still hold an outside chance of progressing, although that seems far-fetched.
This Group D clash will be an exercise for India. They will want to flex their muscles and come out unscathed from the group. This is the final Group D clash for both sides. The Netherlands will want to put up a fight.
In terms of the journey, India overcame the USA and Namibia before blowing Pakistan away. For the Netherlands, they lost to Pakistan before beating Namibia and then suffering a massive defeat against the USA.
For the Netherlands to make it through, they need to thrash India by a massive margin and hope Namibia stun Pakistan. In this case, all three of the USA, Pakistan and the Netherlands will end with 4 points each, and NRR will come into play.
India T20 World Cup squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.
India will want to see Abhishek Sharma score runs. He owns two ducks in the tournament. The likes of Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube would also want to show more with the bat.
Netherlands T20 World Cup squad: Scott Edwards (c), Colin Ackermann, Noah Croes, Bas de Leede, Aryan Dutt, Fred Klaassen, Kyle Klein, Michael Levitt, Zach Lion-Cachet, Max O’Dowd, Logan van Beek, Timm van der Gugten, Roelof van der Merwe, Paul van Meekeren, Saqib Zulfiqar.
The Netherlands need mathematics to go their way, but in reality, their campaign is all but over. The outing was abysmal against the USA, and that will bite them. However, they would want to go out on a high.
What is the H2H record between India and the Netherlands?
In terms of the head-to-head record, the two sides have met just once in T20Is. India own a 1-0 record.
Probable XI of both teams
India probable XI for the match against NED: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakarvarthy.
Netherlands probable XI for the match versus IND: Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards, Zach Lion-Cachet, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren, Fred Klaasen.
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad & Key Details of the Stadium
The Narendra Modi Stadium is the largest cricket stadium in the world. It can host up to 1,32,000 people. The stadium hosted the 2023 ODI World Cup final. It’s also set to be used at the 2030 Commonwealth Games. The first T20I held here was in 2021 between India and England.
What is the Pitch like at the Narendra Modi Stadium?
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.
Key Stats & Records at the Narendra Modi Stadium
A total of 11 T20I matches have been played at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
India are featuring in their 9th T20I here. India have claimed six wins and two defeats from 8 games. Both their defeats have been against England.
Netherlands are yet to play at this venue and make their debut.
India own the highest total here at this venue, scoring 234/4 versus New Zealand in February 2023. India also scored 231/5 versus South Africa in December 2025. India have the 3rd-highest score here as well, scoring 224/2 against England.
New Zealand’s score of 66 is the lowest total here. It was versus India in 2023. India’s 124/7 versus England in 2021 is the 2nd-lowest score.
Former T20I star Virat Kohli has scored the most runs here (258). Among active players, Hardik Pandya has 179 runs.
Pandya and Shardul Thakur also have the joint-most wickets here (8 each).
IND vs NED: Weather Forecast – Will Rain Play a Role?
Ahmedabad is set for perfect cricket weather as India take on the Netherlands at 7:00 PM IST. Ahmedabad is expected to have warm weather on match day, with daytime temperatures around 30°C and cooler conditions at night, dropping below 23°C. Rain is not expected, so a full match is set to be played.
IND vs NED: Pitch Advantage for Which Side?
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 – Pitch Report for Narendra Modi Stadium
What is the pitch report for Narendra Modi Stadium?
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.
What is IND’s and NED’s record at the Narendra Modi Stadium?
At the Narendra Modi Stadium, the two teams will meet for the 1st time. India are featuring in their 9th T20I here. India have claimed six wins and two defeats from 8 games. Both their defeats have been against England. Netherlands are yet to play at this venue and make their debut.