NEW DELHI: Netherlands off-spinner Aryan Dutt produced a superb spell in the powerplay as India’s issues against spin resurfaced in the T20 World Cup, with the hosts managing 193 for six on Wednesday.

It was only in the latter half of the innings that Shivam Dube (66 off 31) managed to cut loose, smashing a flurry of sixes to shift momentum.

Electing to bat, India were banking on Abhishek Sharma rediscovering form ahead of the Super 8 stage, but the left-hander suffered his third successive duck of the tournament. Despite being in red-hot form before the event, he is yet to open his account in his maiden ICC competition.

Spin continues to trouble Indian batters

In earlier league matches, it was the off-spin of Gerhard Erasmus and the likes of Usman Qadir and Saim Ayub that unsettled India. On Wednesday, Indian-origin off-spinner Dutt stepped up against a star-studded home side at the world’s largest cricket stadium.

On the eve of the match, Indian batters worked extensively on tackling spin in the nets, but there remains scope for improvement going forward.

While Dutt was the pick of the bowlers, the Netherlands pacers also kept things tight with clever variations.

Dutt, who often opens the bowling, delivered three overs in the powerplay to target the left-handed trio of Abhishek, Ishan Kishan (18 off 7) and Tilak Varma (31 off 27).

After two dot balls in the opening over, Abhishek attempted to pull a quicker delivery from Dutt but saw his stumps rattled.

The in-form Kishan started briskly before departing in unusual fashion. Attempting a leg-side shot off Dutt, he ended up deflecting the ball onto his stumps via his thigh and elbow.

Tilak, who had earlier launched pacer Logan van Beek for a straight six, was dismissed by the same bowler in the ninth over, with 41-year-old Roelof van der Merwe taking a stunning catch at long-off.

India could have slipped to four down inside 10 overs had Michael Levitt not dropped a straightforward chance off van Beek when Suryakumar Yadav (31 off 27) was on 13.

Dube, Hardik provide late surge

Having laboured to 74 for three at the halfway mark, Dube injected much-needed impetus with six towering sixes, many of them dispatched over cow corner. He was initially tested by Dutt before freeing his arms by clearing his front leg and launching the ball into the stands.

Dube added 76 runs with Hardik Pandya (30 off 21), powering India in the final five overs that produced 75 runs.

(With PTI Inputs)