Namibia VS Netherlands T20 ICC World Cup 2026 the Arun Jaitley Stadium witnessed a masterclass in all-round cricket as the Netherlands comfortably chased down a target of 157 to secure their first points of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Following a heart-wrenching opening loss to Pakistan, the Dutch side showed immense character, led by a spectacular performance from Bas de Leede, who starred with both the ball and the bat to dismantle Namibia.
Namibia VS Netherlands T20 ICC World Cup Match Overview:
After winning the toss and electing to bowl, the Netherlands restricted Namibia to a modest 156/8. The Namibian innings never truly gained momentum, despite a resilient 42 from Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton. The Dutch bowlers, spearheaded by Logan van Beek and Bas de Leede, used the chilly Delhi conditions to perfection, striking at regular intervals to keep the “Eagles” grounded.
In the chase, the Netherlands survived an early scare when opener Max O’Dowd fell for just 8. However, a blistering cameo from Michael Levitt (28 off 15) and a steadying 70-run partnership between De Leede and Colin Ackermann ensured there were no further hiccups. The Dutch reached 159/3 in just 18 overs, wrapping up the game with 12 balls to spare.
Match Scorecard: Detailed Statistics
1st Innings: Namibia Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Louren Steenkamp | st Scott Edwards b Aryan Dutt | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Jan Frylinck | c Scott Edwards b Logan van Beek | 30 | 26 | 3 | 1 | 115.38 |
| Nicol Loftie-Eaton | c R. van der Merwe b Logan van Beek | 42 | 38 | 1 | 2 | 110.53 |
| Gerhard Erasmus (c) | c Aryan Dutt b Bas de Leede | 18 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 200.00 |
| JJ Smit | b Bas de Leede | 22 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 146.67 |
| Zane Green (wk) | c Michael Levitt b Fred Klaassen | 9 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 90.00 |
| Ruben Trumpelmann | Run out (Bas de Leede) | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 112.50 |
| Dylan Leicher | not out | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 120.00 |
| WP Myburgh | Run out (Logan van Beek) | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Extras | (lb 3, w 6, nb 1) | 10 | – | – | – | – |
| TOTAL | (20 Overs, RR: 7.80) | 156/8 |
Netherlands Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Logan van Beek | 3.0 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 4.33 |
| Bas de Leede | 3.0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 6.67 |
| Aryan Dutt | 3.0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 4.33 |
| Fred Klaassen | 3.0 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 8.33 |
| Colin Ackermann | 3.0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 11.00 |
2nd Innings: Netherlands Batting (Target: 157)
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Michael Levitt | b Ruben Trumpelmann | 28 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 186.67 |
| Max O’Dowd | c Erasmus b Bernard Scholtz | 8 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 61.54 |
| Bas de Leede | not out | 72 | 48 | 5 | 4 | 150.00 |
| Colin Ackermann | c Erasmus b Loftie-Eaton | 32 | 28 | 3 | 1 | 114.29 |
| Scott Edwards (c) | not out | 18 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 200.00 |
| Extras | (w 1) | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| TOTAL | (18 Overs, RR: 8.83) | 159/3 |
Namibia Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Bernard Scholtz | 4.0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 6.75 |
| Ruben Trumpelmann | 4.0 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 7.50 |
| Nicol Loftie-Eaton | 2.0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 15.50 |
| JJ Smit | 3.0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 8.33 |
| WP Myburgh | 2.0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 6.00 |
Post-Match Analysis: Key Takeaways
1. The All-Round Brilliance of Bas de Leede
Bas de Leede cemented his status as the MVP for the Netherlands. By picking up two crucial wickets in the middle overs and then anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 72, he provided the perfect template for Associate players on the world stage.
2. Powerplay Disparity
The match was largely decided in the first six overs of each innings. While Namibia struggled to find boundaries against the spin of Aryan Dutt and the pace of Van Beek (scoring only 40/1), Michael Levitt’s explosive start (28 off 15) allowed the Netherlands to reach 50/2 in their Powerplay, effectively killing the required run rate.
3. Namibia’s Middle Order Muddle
Namibia showed glimpses of hope through Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton and Gerhard Erasmus, but they failed to convert starts into a massive total. The lack of a “finishing” innings at the death—where they only managed 31 runs in the final four overs—left them at least 20 runs short on a flat Delhi track.
4. Tactical Spin
Scott Edwards’ decision to use Aryan Dutt early was a masterstroke. The off-spinner’s control strangled the Namibian openers, forcing them to take unnecessary risks. Conversely, the Dutch handled the Namibian spin trio with much more composure, rotating strike effectively.
Player of the Match: Bas de Leede
With bowling figures of 2/20 and an unbeaten 72 (48)*, De Leede was the undisputed choice. His performance keeps the Netherlands’ Super 8 hopes alive and sends a warning to the rest of the group.