In a stunning display of ‘explosive longevity’, aged 41 The Netherlands veteran Roelof van der Merwe He turned back the clock on February 18, 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Indiathe final T20 World Cup 2026 In the group stage match, the non-age player produced a moment of magic that silenced the Ahmedabad crowd and left the cricketing world in awe. His superb effort not only pulled off a certain blow but highlighted the great spirit of a Dutch side who refused to be intimidated by the tournament favourites.
IND vs NED: Roelof Van der Merwe, 41, creates magic to dismiss Tilak Varma
The defining moment of the master class in the Dutch field took place in the 9th race Logan van BeekAs India try to rebuild their innings. Tilak VarmaReaching 31 off 27 balls and starting to find his rhythm, he hit a powerful, high shot towards the long-on boundary. Although the throw was originally intended to clear the rope or fall to safety, Roelof van der Merwe had other plans.
With the agility of a teenager, the 41-year-old followed the trajectory of the ball perfectly as it spun through the Ahmedabad night air. Just as the ball looked out of reach, he made a desperate full-length side dive, arms outstretched to rip the ball inches from the turf with a sensational reverse cup-grip.
The sheer athleticism required for such a catch at his age left commentators speechless and provided a “teaching moment” for his young teammate. Michael Levittwho had fallen an easier chance on the same before. Van der Merwe’s celebration was as fiery as they come, cementing his status as one of the most competitive veterans on the international stage.
We present the video:
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Dutch spinner Aryan Dutt uses Ahmedabad’s dry conditions to dismantle India’s top order
The match turned out to be a surprisingly tight battle rather than the high-scoring ‘run-fest’ that many expected from the Ahmedabad surface. India, winning the toss and electing to bat first, found themselves in early trouble Aryan Dutt used the dry conditions to dismantle the upper order.
The biggest story remains the collapse of the world’s No. 1 date Abhishek SharmaClean bowled by Dutt for a 3-ball duck, his third consecutive zero in this tournament. Soon after, Ishan Kishi (18) bowled strangely as the ball veered off his body and into the stumps, sending India reeling at 44/2 in the power play.
Introduction of Tilak and captain Suryakumar Yadav Van der Merwe’s ‘screamer’ temporarily steadied the ship by taking the score to 69 before removing Varman. India 76/3 by 11th over, Suryakumar (23*) and Shivam Dubey (3*) major repair work has been commissioned. Led by Dutt’s clinical figures of 2/19, Holland’s disciplined bowling kept the score below seven, proving that even a ‘dead rubber’ can create elite-level drama when a giant killer mentality is applied.
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