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 team’s style of play.
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 Erasmus’ side to build partnerships. Despite the setbacks, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton’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 didn’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 Netherlands’ 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 Netherlands’ style of play, expressing satisfaction with the team’s progress. Reflecting on their earlier loss to Pakistan, the 26-year-old acknowledged the team’s shortcomings and emphasised the need to maintain momentum in the remaining group-stage matches against the USA and India.
“As 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 days’ time playing USA and then India after. So, I think it’s adjust about building on the performance we had today and trying to learn from what we did well,” Leede said in the post-match press conference.
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