India is set to play their last group-stage match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Match No. 36 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 18. Having already qualified for the Super 8 stage, India aims to maintain momentum and refine their strategies before the knockout rounds.
India chose to bat first, relying on their batting strength on what seems to be a favorable surface. The team made a couple of changes to their Playing XI for better balance and to manage players’ workloads. Arshdeep Singh replaced Kuldeep Yadav, and Washington Sundar made his tournament debut in place of Axar Patel.
Toss Update
India won the toss and decided to bat first, trusting the pitch to provide good runs. With favorable batting conditions, India aims to set a challenging total for the bowlers to defend.
Why did Axar Patel miss the match against the Netherlands?
Axar Patel was rested as part of India’s squad rotation, having already secured a spot in the Super 8 stage. Washington Sundar was included in the Playing XI to provide a similar all-round option while managing Axar’s workload ahead of the knockout phase.
What did the captains say?
Suryakumar Yadav, India captain
We’re going to bat first. The pitch looks good, and we practiced here last night. There was some dew, so we hope to score runs and defend it. We are playing on a similar pitch in a few days, so it’s good to put pressure on the bowlers. The mood in the camp is great. The players are stepping up, and I’m pleased with their performance. We have two changes: Arshdeep in for Kuldeep, and Washington comes in as Axar is resting.
Scott Edwards, Netherlands captain
We would have batted as the pitch looks good. Playing in India is always a great experience. We believe we’ve performed well, though we’ve missed some chances. Our focus is to finish the campaign strongly. We’re looking to improve all aspects of our play. We have one change: Noah Croes is in for Fred Klaassen.
IND vs NED: Playing XIs
India
Ishan Kishan (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
Netherlands
Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (wk/c), Zach Lion-Cachet, Noah Croes, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein
