T20 World Cup: Abhishek Sharma out for a duck but India register 17-run win to end group stage unbeaten

India’s world number one T20 pacer Abhishek Sharma was off for a third successive World Cup duck but the hosts maintained their unbeaten record in the tournament with a 17-run win over Netherlands in Ahmedabad.

With Super 8s qualification already assured, India opted to bat first after winning the toss but the openers were stifled by the Dutch bowlers initially.

Sharma faced just three balls before he was dismissed by a backwards delivery from Aryan Dutt, becoming the first batsman in history to score three ducks in the first three innings of a T20 World Cup. He has five ducks in a calendar year.

But a more inspired batting up the order saw India post 193-6 thanks to Shivam Dubey’s 66 off 31 which included four fours and six sixes.

Dube was supported by Tilak Varma (31), Suryakumar Yadav (34) and Hardik Pandya (30). Aryan Dutt and Logan van Beek tried to slow down India’s powerful batsmen, picking up five wickets between them.

After being knocked out of the competition following Pakistan’s win over Namibia earlier in the day, the chase looked out of reach for the Netherlands from the start.

Opening batsmen Michael Levitt and Max O’Dowd found it difficult to get going as India bowler Varun Chakravarthy made a clinical 3-14 from three overs.

Chakravarthy claimed revenge on behalf of teammate Sharma by dismissing Dutt for a duck of his own, leaving Holland 94-4 in 13 overs.

Zac Lyon-Cache and Noah Cross hit some late boundaries but never threatened to overhaul the target, meaning India finished Group One with an unblemished record of four wins from four matches.