Bas de Leede shows way as Netherlands beat Namibia to extend lead among associate nations in T20 World Cup

Bas de Leede shows way as Netherlands beat Namibia to extend lead among associate nations in T20 World Cup


Bas de Leede starred as the Netherlands beat Namibia by seven wickets in the T20 World Cup 2026, keeping Super 8 hopes alive. The win also made them the associate nation with the most T20 World Cup victories, with Leede praising the teamโ€™s style of play.

New Delhi:

The Netherlands secured a commanding seven-wicket win over Namibia in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the Super 8s. Dutch all-rounder Bas de Leede starred with both bat and ball, guiding his side to victory.

Namibia, batting first, struggled to maintain momentum. After a tricky powerplay, wickets fell at regular intervals, making it difficult for Gerhard Erasmusโ€™ side to build partnerships. Despite the setbacks, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eatonโ€™s crucial 42 off 38 balls helped Namibia reach a total of 156. Reflecting on the innings, Erasmus said the plan was to capitalise in the final ten overs, but the fall of wickets in the middle overs made it challenging.

In reply, the Netherlands lost Max Dowd early but the setback didnโ€™t derail their chase. Leede, coming in at number three, delivered an exceptional performance, scoring an unbeaten 72 off 48 balls. He received valuable support from Colin Ackermann, who contributed a quick 32 runs. The win marked a strong comeback for the Dutch after their defeat to Pakistan two days earlier.

The victory also cemented the Netherlandsโ€™ position as the associate nation with the most wins in T20 World Cup history. They now lead the chart, ahead of Scotland with eight wins, while Afghanistan and Namibia are tied with five wins each.

Most wins by an associate nation in T20 World Cup history:

Teams Wins
Netherlands 11
Scotland 08
Namibia 05
Afghanistan 05
Ireland 03

Really convinced with the style of cricket we are playing: Leede

After the match, Bas de Leede spoke about the Netherlandsโ€™ style of play, expressing satisfaction with the teamโ€™s progress. Reflecting on their earlier loss to Pakistan, the 26-year-old acknowledged the teamโ€™s shortcomings and emphasised the need to maintain momentum in the remaining group-stage matches against the USA and India.

โ€œAs a group, we are really convinced of the style of cricket we are trying to play and obviously, the first game, we lost by a small margin. I think we showed today that the style of cricket we want to play works. Obviously, a massive challenge coming up in three daysโ€™ time playing USA and then India after. So, I think itโ€™s adjust about building on the performance we had today and trying to learn from what we did well,โ€ Leede said in the post-match press conference.

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