Shivam Dube Powers India Past Netherlands, Dismisses Off-Spin Concerns

Dube's explosive 31-ball 66 and his two wickets earned him the 'Player of the Match' award in 17-run win over Netherlands at Ahmedabad and this effort was another day at crisis management for Dube. When he came in at 110/4 in 14th over, his team needed acceleration and his knock pushed them to a competitive total of 190-odd runs.

Speaking about tackling off-spin challenge of Aryan Dutt (2/19 in four overs), by far the best Dutch bowler in terms of economy rate and other off-spinners in previous games, Dube said during the post-match presser, "There is no talk because there are sometimes when batsmen cannot hit some balls. It is just about that one shot and when it comes, there would be no talks about off spin in coming matches."

In the tournament so far, India has been slightly dissappointing against spin, losing three wickets for 42 runs in eight overs against USA against spin, following it with five wickets lost for 61 runs against spin in eight overs against Namibia. The run rate against spin in these matches was 5.25 and 7.6 respectively. In the latter clash, off-spinner Gerald Erasmus (4/20) did a fantastic job in his four over quota.

Against Pakistan, a whooping 18 overs of spin was bowled and India could make only 144 at loss of six wickets in these overs. Here the run rate was slightly better at eight per over. In this clash of arch-rivals, Pak skipper Salman Ali Agha (1/10 in two overs) got the prized Abhishek Sharma wicket, while Saim Ayub (3/25 in four overs) and Usman Tariq (1/24) contained India well. Against Tariq's controversial sidearm, pausing action, India could hit just two fours in four overs.

During this clash against Netherlands, Indian team collected 70 runs against spin in eight overs and also lost two wickets to it, with a run rate of 8.75, making it their most solid performance so far.

In the final few overs of the innings, Dube stitched a valuable 76-run stand with all-rounder Hardik Pandya, also a pace-bowling all-rounder like him. Dube insists there is no competition amongst them and they have fun playing together.

"I feel that both of us are lefty-righty and power hitters. So the team in front of us is always a little on back foot . If both of us were righty-righty, then there would have been a plan. But if left and right are batting, it becomes difficult for the other team. So we both enjoy it a lot. We talk a lot, yes, this is the plan, we go like that. But we enjoy a lot that is more important," he signed off.

So far in four matches and innings in this WC, Dube has made 116 runs at an average of 29.00 and a strike rate of over 178 with a fifty. He has also got three wickets in two innings at an average of just above 15 and economy rate of 8.6.

After India won the toss and elected to bat first, they had a period of struggle till 14th over at 110/4. But Dube (66 in 31 balls, with four boundaries and six sixes) and Hardik Pandya (30 in 21 balls, with three sixes) pushed India to 193/5.

Despite spells from Varun Chakravarthy (3/14 in three overs) and Dube (2/35), a valiant Netherlands continued to get small contributions from its batters but got restricted to 176/7.

- ANI