Bas de Leede stars as Netherlands outclass Namibia in T20 World Cup 2026

Bas de Leede produced a composed yet authoritative unbeaten 72 as the Netherlands kept their Super 8 hopes alive with a convincing seven-wicket win over Namibia in their Group A clash of the men’s T20 World Cup at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday. Chasing a modest 157, the Dutch reached the target with two overs to spare, recording their biggest win by wickets in the tournament’s history.

The victory also underlined the Netherlands’ growing pedigree at ICC events. It was their 11th win in the men’s T20 World Cup — the most by any Associate side — and lifted their win-loss ratio in the competition to an unmatched 0.647, the best among the 15 Associate teams to have featured so far.

Disciplined Dutch bowling keeps Namibia in check

Asked to bat first, Namibia struggled to build sustained momentum from the word go. However, a spirited middle-overs recovery helped the African nation to post a respectable but below-par target. The Dutch bowlers were accurate and relentless on a wicket that offered just enough assistance to reward discipline.

Pacer Logan van Beek set the tone early, hitting hard lengths with the new ball to finish with figures of 2 for 13, while off-spinner Aryan Dutt bowled a probing spell of 1 for 13. Dutt provided the first breakthrough when he lured Nikolaas Davin Steenkamp down the track, with Edwards completing a sharp stumping.

Namibia managed only 29 runs in the first five overs as the Netherlands controlled the powerplay with ease. Jan Frylinck (30) and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (42) then rebuilt the innings through a steady 50-run stand, countering the spinners and briefly pushing the scoring rate.

Loftie-Eaton took on Colin Ackermann with confidence, while Frylinck found the boundary through cover, but the stand was broken when van Beek induced Frylinck to edge behind. Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus attempted to lift the tempo with a fluent cameo, including a 16-run over off Tim van der Gugten, before JJ Smit (22) provided late fireworks.

However, Edwards’ smart rotation of eight bowling options prevented a final surge. Bas de Leede dismissed Smit with a quicker delivery, and Namibia were restricted to 156 for eight — a total that looked slightly under-par on a good batting surface.

Levitt sets the pace before de Leede takes charge

The Netherlands’ chase began briskly despite the early loss of Max O’Dowd (7). Michael Levitt ensured there was no loss of momentum, attacking in the powerplay with a fluent 28 before falling early.

Colin Ackermann (32) then steadied the innings, forging a decisive partnership with de Leede that effectively took the game away from Namibia. De Leede was assured from the outset, hitting straight and hard, and muscling the ball to all parts with authority. 

Mixing caution with aggression, de Leede struck nine boundaries, including four sixes, from his 48-ball knock. His calm presence reflected his outstanding record in T20I run-chases: 353 runs in 10 winning chases at an average of 176.5, compared with 197 runs at 15.15 in defeats.

With the target well within reach, Edwards joined de Leede to finish the job emphatically. The pair struck successive sixes off Loftie-Eaton to close out the chase in the 18th over, sealing the Netherlands’ eighth T20 World Cup win while chasing — the seven-wicket margin the highest among those victories.

Captains reflect on key moments

Edwards praised his side’s discipline and adaptability, saying the bowlers had “taken control of the game” by striking late and keeping Namibia below what they felt was a competitive total. He singled out de Leede’s all-round impact, calling him “massive for us over the last few years” and highlighting his ability to dominate attacks with power and intent.

Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus felt his side were “10 to 20 runs shy” and admitted the inability to push the total beyond 165 hurt their chances. While pleased with how his team assessed conditions early, he acknowledged that the Netherlands applied pressure consistently and capitalised when Namibia failed to find momentum late.

De Leede relishes focus and adaptability

Player of the Match de Leede said bowling first helped the Netherlands understand the wicket better and adjust lengths accordingly. He credited the batting group for playing straight and adapting as the surface began to skid on later in the game.

Reflecting on his form, de Leede said committing fully to international cricket had allowed him to focus on improving his game, particularly with the T20 World Cup in mind.

What’s next

The Netherlands now travel to Chennai to face the USA on Friday, a must-win fixture for their Super 8 ambitions. Namibia, meanwhile, face a daunting challenge against hosts India at the same venue on Thursday as they look to bounce back from defeat.