Netherlands favourites in Chennai as injury-hit USA face do-or-die T20 World Cup clash

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After pushing India close in their opening match in Mumbai, USA were outplayed by Pakistan in Colombo. Now facing a must-win situation, USA take on Netherlands in Chennai on Friday knowing that a third straight defeat would end their Super Eight hopes at the 2026 T20 World Cup. History is also stacked against them: USA have never beaten Netherlands in men’s T20Is, losing all three previous encounters.

USA’s preparations have been complicated by injuries. Fast bowler Ali Khan is struggling with a groin issue, while Jasdeep Singh has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a shoulder injury. Former Pakistan pacer Ehsan Adil has come into the squad as cover but endured a difficult outing against his country of birth at the R Premadasa Stadium. There are also concerns over Shubham Ranjane, who picked up a knee injury earlier in the week. At the top of the order, USA are still searching for stability, with Saiteja Mukkamalla dropped after one failure despite being their most prolific batter in the build-up and scoring a brisk half-century against New Zealand in the warm-up game in Navi Mumbai.

Netherlands, by contrast, come into the contest full of confidence after easing past Namibia in Delhi, powered by an all-round display from Bas de Leede. Their depth remains a major strength, with Roelof van der Merwe batting as low as No. 9 and a wide range of bowling options at their disposal, qualities that also helped them push Pakistan hard in the tournament opener. The Dutch side also have valuable local knowledge, having spent a week training at the Chennai Super Kings Academy last month.

Van der Merwe, the only frontline left-arm spinner in the Netherlands XI, could again be influential against a right-hand-heavy USA batting line-up after delivering tidy spells in the opening two matches. For USA, the spotlight will fall on Saurabh Netravalkar, who endured a forgettable Mumbai outing against India but recovered well against Pakistan and will be keen to rediscover his best rhythm in Chennai.

The match will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, where the surface has been more batting-friendly than expected. Rob Walter recently described the pitch as “docile” after a successful chase earlier in the tournament, and with this being the first night game at the venue, dew — a familiar factor during the Indian Premier League — could play a role.

From a numbers perspective, USA captain Monank Patel is just 77 runs away from becoming the first player from his country to reach 1,000 T20I runs, while Michael Levitt is closing in on the Netherlands six-hitting record. Netherlands currently sit 13th in the T20I rankings, five places above USA, underlining why they go into the contest as favourites — even as USA look to defy history and keep their campaign alive.