Chennai, Feb 14 : Netherlands captain Scott Edwards acknowledged his side fell short in both execution and application after a 93-run defeat to the USA in a Group A clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.
Chasing 197, the Dutch team was bowled out for 103 in 15.5 overs, struggling to recover from early losses. Edwards noted that while the USA’s total of 196/6 was slightly above expectations, the Netherlands’ own inconsistencies in bowling lengths and batting contributed to the outcome.
“It was obviously a pretty good surface. The ball came on nicely. From our point of view, we just never really got going with the bat we kept losing wickets at regular intervals, which was disappointing,” Edwards said. Early setbacks saw three wickets fall in the powerplay, allowing USA bowlers to dictate terms and maintain pressure throughout the innings.
Edwards admitted the escalating required run rate compounded the challenge. “It’s tough, especially when the run rate quickly climbs to 11 or 12 an hour. Then it’s about finding that balance trying to bring the rate back under control without losing any more wickets. That’s always the challenge in that situation,” he explained.
Despite some late resistance, the Netherlands could not regain momentum, and the USA’s batters capitalised on scoring opportunities in the middle and death overs. Looking ahead to their next game against India, Edwards emphasised the importance of regrouping.
“We travel again tomorrow, we’ll have a debrief, probably take a day off, and then reset and focus on that final game,” he concluded.
The defeat underscores the need for the Netherlands to strengthen their batting execution under pressure as the T20 World Cup 2026 progresses.