Kohli fires another fifty as India ease past Netherlands

Virat Kohli followed his spellbinding innings against Pakistan with another half-century as India coasted to a 56-run victory over Netherlands to make it two wins from two at the T20 World Cup.

Kohli’s 82 not out from 53 deliveries against Pakistan on Sunday dragged India to a remarkable last-ball victory at a packed-out MCG in one of the most dramatic T20 internationals of all time.

Thursday’s fixture at the SCG was less competitive, with Kohli’s 62 not out from 44 balls, plus Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 51 from 25 and skipper Rohit Sharma’s 53 off 39, propelling India to 179-2 from their 20 overs before Netherlands could only make 123-9 in reply.

Netherlands – beaten in both of their Super 12 matches so far, having suffered a nine-run defeat to Bangladesh in their opening fixture – limited India to 38-1 after seven overs, although they squandered the chance to remove Rohit on 13 with Tim Pringle shelling a catch at mid-on off the bowling of Fred Klaassen.

Rohit then successfully overturned an lbw dismissal off Logan van Beek on 27 by virtue of an inside edge, before he ignited in the 10th over with successive boundaries off short balls from Bas de Leede.