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this Netherlands bounce back from their opening T20 World Cup Defeated with clinical seven-pillar victory Namibia Held at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. After winning the toss and choosing the outfield, the Dutch bowlers restricted Namibia to 156/8, which usually favors the batsmen.
The Namibia team struggled for momentum throughout as only Jan Nicole Lofty Eaton The Netherlands showed great resistance with a hard-fought 42 points. In reply, the Netherlands equaled the target at 159/3 with two overs remaining. Lower Lid Was the undisputed star of the game, sealing the two points with a superb all-round performance. The win significantly improved the Netherlands’ net run rate and kept them in a strong position in a competitive Group A.
T20 World Cup 2026: Disciplined Dutch attack under Bas de Lid restricts Namibia despite resistance from Jan-Nicolas Lofty-Eton
Holland’s decision to bowl first paid off immediately, with Aryan Dutt taking advantage of the early morning humidity to break up the proceedings Lauren Steenkamp by a sharp stumble Scott Edwards In the third game. Facing a disciplined Dutch attack, Namibia struggled to break the shackles and managed just 40/1 in the mandatory Powerplay. Jan Freylinck 30 of 26 goals gave the team a brief spark but his departure Logan van Beek This triggered a period of stagnation. team leader Gerhard Erasmus Tried to speed up with a pair of boundaries but were quickly dismissed Lower LidJust when this emerging partnership was in danger, he broke it off.
The key player in Namibia’s innings was Lofty Eaton, who bowled 42 off 38 balls, including two crucial sixes, to take the total past 150 runs. However, Van Beek came back in the 15th game to take a set from Lofty-Eaton, ensuring there were no late flourishes.
Fred Klassen and Lower Lid Namibia kept up the pressure in the death overs, taking two wickets each and conceding very few runs, finishing with a score of 156/8. The Dutch defense remained extremely sharp, with Roelof van der Merwe making a crucial jump on the long ball to eliminate the danger. Jay Smith. Ultimately, Namibia failed to score a half-century partnership, leaving their bowlers with a total of arguably 15-20 runs on the genuine Delhi wicket.
Also read: T20 World Cup 2026: Here’s why Paul van Meekeren won’t play in today’s NED vs NAM match
T20 World Cup 2026: Bas de Leede batting masterclass sets the stage for Netherlands’ clinical chase in Delhi
The Dutch chase began with Michael Levitt A blistering pace was established from the start with 28 smashed in just 15 balls. Although Bernard Scholz Deleted Max O’Dowd Early peace Reuben Trumpelman Even though Holland picked up their 50th T20I wicket by dismissing Levitt, they never looked panicked.
De Lid, at No. 3, played a career-defining innings, combining caution with calculated attack to stabilize the middle order. He found the perfect partner Colin Ackermanthe duo added 50 runs for the third wicket to put the Netherlands in the driver’s seat. Delied completed his half-century off just 38 deliveries and punctuated his batting with four huge sixes off the shorter boundaries of the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Even as Ackerman scored 32 in the 14th over, skipper Edwards ensured the batting side maintained the momentum with a quick cameo of 18 off 9 balls.
The final over of the chase was bowled by Lofty-Eaton, with Edwards and Delied erasing the spin attack with a flurry of boundaries. Delied, who ended up unbeaten on 72 off 48 balls, duly scored the winning run with a deft guide past third man. The comprehensive victory with 12 goals remaining earned De Lid the Man of the Match award and gave the Netherlands their first win of the season. Despite the valiant efforts of Trumpelman and Scholz, Namibia’s bowlers lacked the penetration needed to defend a below-par total in a solid middle order.
