During their final day in the tournament, India had to get past a strong bowlers’ line-up comprised of eight bowlers, including two very experienced fast bowlers who each played for Australia before they became eligible to play for the Netherlands. For India to win the match, center fielder Shivam Dube would need to produce another exceptional performance with the bat; this was critical because they needed a star performance to advance to the next round of the tournament. Following a great start, without much doubt, Dube took advantage of the conditions and eventually got his rhythm, scoring 66 (from only 31 balls), leading the charge for India; at the end of India’s innings (20 overs), the total was 193 runs, having achieved a perfect group stage and remaining undefeated.
The complete match was essentially divided into three acts. In the first act, the Indian players who consistently make runs against seam/offspring bowling were unable to run successfully against the Dutch seam bowlers due to the outstanding quality of Dutch seam and then off-spin bowling. As the Indian top order continued to struggle, several overs were not scored very well, and as a consequence, India fell behind substantially from where they wanted to be. In act two, Dube struck again in an incredible manner with an innings that resulted in a shift in momentum from roughly 120 runs scored to 193 runs scored; the difference certainly proved to be significant. In the third act, Chakravarthy, the mystery spinner known for his exceptional deliveries throughout the tournament, took two more wickets for India, effectively ending the Netherlands’ run total and securing a sensational victory for India and their fans!
The day was significant for reasons beyond just numbers—it was significant in terms of when it happened. Dube’s assault happened after the required momentum was gone; he turned his desperation into an aggressive act and took advantage of the width and played some very adventurous slog-sweeps that created roars around the Narendra Modi Stadium. When Bas de Leede and Colin Ackermann attempted to take the chase up to a blast furnace temperature, Chakravarthy responded with excellent lines and variations—one of which almost resulted in a hat-trick. The Netherlands made an admirable attempt to chase down the score, but India’s outstanding performances frustrated their efforts.
Dube has gone from being a big bat early in the IPL season (primarily serving as a blunt-force weapon) to adding nuance to his game, including the ability to rotate strike, identify the right ball to target, and confidently use his slower deliveries strategically. This hybrid style of batting can make him a real asset to any team participating in this year’s tournament; he has the potential of clearing the boundary on one hand and giving the team useful deliveries if needed (based upon the condition or timing of the game—pitchers do get tired).
Additionally, Chakravarthy has transformed from a somewhat underappreciated talent to a key player in India’s T20 team. His ability to disguise his googly, pace off the wrist, and attack the stumps with efficiency have all made him one of the most effective bowlers in this year’s World Cup.
With this win, India has built up momentum, which should help them going into the Super Eights. They have three games in Group 1 of the Super Eights: South Africa, West Indies, and Zimbabwe. India’s opener will be against South Africa at the same stadium (Ahmedabad) on 22nd February, making this game an important rematch for both teams as each will try to win their respective group to advance to the semi-finals. India will likely play several different combinations of bowlers, while bowlers like Chakravarthy will be expected to deliver a few more of those perfect overs.
Here’s a preview of what to expect on Thursday night: apart from post-game analysis and social media highlights, there are two significant matches scheduled for Thursday. The match-up between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe (both teams have already qualified) is to decide the first seed in the group brackets. The other matches will have viewers seeing firsthand how good will be bringing their best to the next round, their best strategies adapting to show they know how to prepare for the next step, and how to put their new approaches into effect when playing teams with seasoned experience. For Indian fans, there is not just a lot on their minds, but they will have already started to prepare for the Super Eight by managing workloads on their quicks, determining if Dube will retain his finisher/all-around player role, and finding an ideal balance between spin and pace bowlers.
Bottom line: T20 is a show of not just theatrics but guile as well. While India ends the single round-robin stage of the super eight round, placing first, expect a different kind of round robin in the super eight taking place. Based on how these matches look tonight, expect an increased level of competition amongst opponents, ideally bringing good smart tactics when playing their respective opponents and relying on a smaller type of kill; that will make the determining factor in many tournaments.
