The Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi was buzzing with anticipation on February 12, 2026, as India faced Namibia in a pivotal Group A clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. With the high-voltage encounter against Pakistan looming just days away, all eyes were on Suryakumar Yadav’s men to deliver a clinical performance and fine-tune their lineup. Namibia, meanwhile, came in as underdogs, eager to bounce back from a heavy defeat to the Netherlands and prove their mettle under the bright lights and roaring crowd of nearly 40,000 fans.
The evening began with a twist at the toss. Namibia’s captain, Gerhard Erasmus, won the toss and, contrary to some expectations, opted to bat first. Erasmus explained, “We think it is a very, very good flat cricketing surface, from a statistics and dew point of view it is the right thing to do. It is about tightening our skillset.” Dew was expected to play a factor as the night wore on, and both captains acknowledged the importance of adapting to the conditions.
India’s playing XI saw the return of Jasprit Bumrah, who had missed the previous match due to illness, replacing Mohammed Siraj. Sanju Samson, after strong net sessions and with Abhishek Sharma sidelined by illness, seized his chance at the top of the order. The Indian lineup also featured Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, and Varun Chakaravarthy. Namibia’s XI included Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (captain), JJ Smit, Zane Green (wicketkeeper), Ruben Trumpelmann, Malan Kruger, Bernard Scholtz, Ben Shikongo, and Max Heingo.
As the national anthems faded and the crowd’s roar intensified, the Indian openers—Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan—strode purposefully to the crease. The pitch, described by commentators Ian Smith and Nick Knight as flat with a nice sheen and small boundary dimensions, promised plenty of runs. “It looks flat. It looks well. There’s a nice little sheen on it as well. I think it’s going to come through nicely,” Smith observed, highlighting the potential for a high-scoring affair.
Samson wasted no time, lofting a six over the sightscreen in the first over. But it was Ishan Kishan who truly set the stadium alight. Fresh off a century against New Zealand, Kishan continued his rich vein of form, launching a blistering assault on the Namibian bowlers. He hammered four sixes in a single over from JJ Smit, bringing up his half-century off just 20 balls and propelling India to their highest-ever PowerPlay score in a T20 World Cup. By the end of the sixth over, Kishan was striking at nearly 250, peppering the boundaries with wristy flicks and audacious pulls, while Tilak Varma provided steady support despite a dropped chance early in his innings.
The Namibian bowlers, led by Ruben Trumpelmann and Ben Shikongo, struggled to find their rhythm on the batter-friendly surface. Shikongo managed to dismiss Samson for 22, caught at deep midwicket—a blow for the Kerala batter aiming to cement his place in the XI. Nevertheless, India’s aggressive intent was clear, with 71% of their runs in the tournament coming from boundaries, the best rate in Group A, though their dot ball percentage remained the highest at 46%.
Gerhard Erasmus, Namibia’s canny skipper, brought himself into the attack and immediately made an impact. His first ball in the eighth over saw Kishan, eyeing another big hit, caught by Shikongo at deep midwicket for a scintillating 61 off just 24 balls. “GONE! Ishan departs. Gerhard Erasmus picks a wicket off his first ball. Ishan picks this ball straight to the deep midwicket fielder, was looking for another big hit but misses the middle of the bat,” the commentary read. Erasmus’s bag of tricks even included a delivery called dead by the umpire for being bowled from ahead of the stumps—a testament to his street-smart approach.
After Kishan’s dismissal, Suryakumar Yadav walked in and, true to form, got off the mark with a single. Alongside Tilak Varma, he rotated the strike and steadied the innings, ensuring the run rate ticked along. By the end of the ninth over, India had raced to 110 for 2, firmly in control and on course for a formidable total.
Namibia, despite being outgunned on paper, showed glimpses of their potential. Erasmus and Trumpelmann, both seasoned in franchise cricket, looked to apply pressure and exploit any Indian complacency. Yet, the gulf in experience and depth was apparent. Namibia’s bowling dot ball rate of 31% was the lowest in Group A, and they conceded 2.12 runs per scoring shot—second only to the USA in the group.
The Indian camp, meanwhile, was focused on fine-tuning ahead of the anticipated showdown with Pakistan. Coach Gautam Gambhir praised Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership, stating, “Surya has made my life a lot easier in this format, and I think he’s a phenomenal leader of men, not because of the kind of batter he is or the shots he plays. All of that you can keep aside, but because of what he does on the cricket field.” The relaxed yet competitive atmosphere in the dressing room was cited as a key factor in India’s nine-match winning streak in T20 World Cups, the longest in the tournament’s history.
On the Namibian side, excitement and respect for their opponents were palpable. “We’re no stranger to the [Indian] players. We see them on TV a lot, in the IPL and international cricket, so you kind of know who you’re going to face. But I think in terms of exposure and in terms of the size and the sort of event that it is… it is something to get used to. It’s going to be a very good experience for them, playing under lights and in front of I guess 40,000 noisy fans, it’s going to be really cool,” said a Namibian player before the match.
As the action unfolded, the weather in Delhi remained hazy and chilly, with temperatures fluctuating between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius and hazardous air quality. The conditions, however, did little to dampen the spirits of players or fans. There was no threat of rain, ensuring an uninterrupted contest.
For India, the match was as much about maintaining momentum as it was about securing victory. Arshdeep Singh, just four wickets shy of surpassing Ravichandran Ashwin’s T20 World Cup tally for India, continued to be a player to watch. Meanwhile, the team’s aggressive batting approach and clinical bowling unit looked primed for the challenges ahead.
With the match still ongoing at the time of reporting, India appeared to be in the driver’s seat, building on a platform set by Kishan’s fireworks and a disciplined middle order. Namibia, on the other hand, hoped for breakthroughs and a twist in the tale as they searched for a way back into the contest.
As the evening wore on, the focus inevitably began to shift toward the upcoming blockbuster against Pakistan. But for now, India’s blend of flair, power, and composure on a lively Delhi night had the crowd—and the cricketing world—watching closely, eager to see if this dominant run would continue all the way to the business end of the tournament.
