Mukkamalla, spinners lead USA's rout of Netherlands

USA secured a crushing 93-run win over Netherlands in Chennai in their T20 World Cup clash on Friday. After posting 196/6 on the back of Saiteja Mukkamalla's 79 and Shubham Ranjane's quickfire 48*, USA backed it up with a clinical bowling display that saw the Dutch bowled out for 103.

Asked to bat first, the tone was set by Shayan Jahangir who launched sixes off both Aryan Dutt and Logan van Beek in the opening two overs. His dismissal in the third over did not slow USA down as Monank Patel and Mukkamalla sustained the tempo to take them to 53/1 at the end of the PowerPlay.

Their 55-run stand was broken by Bas de Leede in the ninth over after Patel upper-cut a slower ball to keeper Scott Edwards. Mukkamalla rattled off two boundaries in each of the next two overs before bringing up a 30-ball fifty with a six in the 12th over.

Another fifty-run stand ensued between Mukkamalla and Ranjane after Sanjay Krishnamurthi's dismissal in the 11th over. The Dutch dismissed Mukkamalla in the 17th over, but Ranjane's late assault—three fours and two sixes—lifted USA to 196.

In reply, Netherlands' chase faltered early. Nosthush Kenjige, returning to USA's XI, bowled Michael Levitt in the second over. Bas de Leede fought back with a four and six in Kenjige's following over but lacked support as Max O'Dowd and Colin Ackermann fell in successive overs, leaving Netherlands 51/3 at the end of the PowerPlay.

De Leede's dismissal in the seventh over tightened the squeeze. Zach Lion-Cachet failed to make an impact and when Scott Edwards fell at the end of the tenth over, leaving Netherlands 75/6, the game was headed in only one direction.

With the game too far gone, there was little resistance from the rest of Netherlands' batting order as they folded for 103 in the 16th over. Harmeet Singh finished with 4-21 while Shadley van Schalkwyk picked up three wickets. Leg-spinner Mohammad Mohsin chipped in with a couple of wickets. This was USA's first win of the competition and their first win over the Netherlands in T20Is.

Brief Scores:
USA 196/6 in 20 overs (Saiteja Mukkamalla 79, Shubham Ranjane 48*; Bas de Leede 3-37) beat Netherlands 103 in 15.5 overs (Bas de Leede 23; Harmeet Singh 4-21, Shadley van Schalkwyk 3-21) by 93 runs.