In a clinical display of power and precision, India thrashed Namibia by 93 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi to reclaim their spot at the top of the T20 World Cup 2026 Group A standings.
Batting first after Namibia won the toss, the “Men in Blue” posted a mammoth 209/9, anchored by a historic, record-breaking 24-ball 61 from Ishan Kishan—the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a fifty in T20 World Cup history, and a blistering 52 off 28 balls from Hardik Pandya. Despite a late-innings collapse triggered by Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus’s exceptional 4/20, India’s total proved far too steep for the associate nation.
Namibia’s chase began with a flurry but unraveled dramatically under the craft of Varun Chakaravarthy, who registered devastating figures of 3/7, and Axar Patel’s double-strike. Jasprit Bumrah polished off the tail with his trademark accuracy, before a bizarre hit-wicket dismissal of Zane Green in the 19th over bundled Namibia out for 116, sealing India’s second consecutive win of the tournament.
Kishan’s Carnage and Pandya’s Power-Hitting
India’s innings was a tale of two halves, beginning with a savage Powerplay assault. Ishan Kishan took center stage, smashing a 20-ball half-century and punishing JJ Smit for four consecutive sixes in a single over. Alongside a quickfire 22 from Sanju Samson, Kishan propelled India to 86/1 in the first six overs—their highest-ever Powerplay score in T20 World Cup history.
After a brief middle-order wobble where Suryakumar Yadav (12) and Tilak Varma (25) fell cheaply to Erasmus’s spin, Hardik Pandya took charge. Pandya’s 52, which included four sixes, combined with Shivam Dube’s 23, ensured India crossed the 200-run mark despite losing five wickets for just four runs in a chaotic final stretch.
Indian Spin Dominance
Namibia’s response started with surprising intent, reaching 57/1 in their own Powerplay as Louren Steenkamp took the attack to Arshdeep Singh. However, the introduction of Varun Chakaravarthy immediately turned the tide. The mystery spinner struck with his very first delivery to dismiss Steenkamp (29) and followed it up by removing Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (13) and JJ Smit (0) in quick succession.
This triple-strike ripped the heart out of the Namibian chase, as they slumped from a comfortable position to a reeling 88/5 within minutes. Axar Patel complemented him perfectly, claiming a wicket-maiden and dismissing skipper Erasmus for 18, effectively ending any hopes of a comeback.
Bumrah’s Brilliance And Final Blow
As the required run rate soared past 20, the Indian pacers returned to clinical effect. Jasprit Bumrah, finding his “mojo” after a brief spell of rustiness, unleashed a classic toe-crusher to shatter Ruben Trumpelmann’s stumps.
Hardik Pandya then returned to claim two wickets in two balls, including a plumb LBW against Ben Shikongo, to leave Namibia nine down. The match ended on a curious note when Zane Green, the last recognized batter, accidentally hit his own stumps while facing Shivam Dube.
The 93-run victory not only handed India two vital points but also significantly boosted their Net Run Rate to +3.050 as they head into the high-octane clash against Pakistan in Colombo.
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