Shivam Dube played a match-turning knock on February 18 against the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. After the dismissal, he left the field with a standing ovation from the crowd.
In the previous matches of the 2026 T20 World Cup, Dube played a couple of fast-paced knocks, which were effective but not enough to show his actual potential. Today, he got the opportunity to face a notable number of deliveries, and he paid off with a blistering half-century.
Shivam Dube’s half-century rescued Team India vs Netherlands
Against the Netherlands, in India’s last group stage match before heading for the round of eight, Dube delivered a 25-ball half-century, which he extended for a 66-run innings, facing 31 balls. His effort was decorated with four 4s and six 6s, for which his strike rose to 212.9.
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Before the arrival of Shivam Dube in the middle, Team India was lacking an individual standout performance. The opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan did not work according to the plan—Sharma went for a duck, his third in three matches, and Kishan went for an aggressive but brief 18-run knock.
Early dismissals put India in a challenging 8
At a point in the first innings, Team India was 39 for 2 and struggled to create momentum. From there, Tilak Varma and skipper Suryakumar Yadav created a significant partnership to pull the team out of the mud. Varma’s 31 and Yadav’s 34 were essential for the team at that moment. Both of them had started well and played well but were unable to convert that for a big run.
Dube filled the vacant place that the team was lacking. A batter came to bat at number 5 and scored a half-century. It was a good sign for the Men in Blue, ahead of their Round of Eight fixtures.
Dube formed a crucial partnership with Hardik Pandya
Dube took Hardik Pandya alongside to form a crucial 76-run partnership against 35 balls. Without this partnership, India might not have claimed the total of 193. Pandya scored 30 off 21.
Another day, another #ShivamDube special! 💙
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— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 18, 2026
Dube was most effective against Logan Van Beek, against whom he amassed 24 runs in 6 deliveries only, by smashing three 6s and one 4. Colin Ackermann leaked 18 runs as well against Dube for 5 balls only. In those 5 deliveries of Ackermann, the middle-order batter sent the ball to the boundary for a couple of 6s and a 4. Experienced spinner Roelof Van Der Merwe delivered two balls to Dube and conceded 7 runs, including a maximum.
Read More: 41-year-old Roelof van der Merwe takes stunning diving catch to dismiss Tilak Varma — WATCH