Under the hazy night sky at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, India national cricket team delivered a commanding performance to defeat Namibia national cricket team by 93 runs in their Group A clash at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Powered by explosive half-centuries from Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya, India piled up a daunting 209 before dismantling Namibia for 116 in reply.
Kishan set the tone with a breathtaking 61 off just 24 balls, striking six fours and five sixes. After calling for a change of bat early in his innings, the left-hander launched a brutal assault on Namibia’s attack, smashing four consecutive sixes off J.J. Smit in a 28-run over and racing to his fifty in just 20 deliveries.
India had already surged to 86 for one in the PowerPlay after Namibia chose to field. Drafted in for the unwell Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson made a lively start, lofting Ruben Trumpelmann and taking on Ben Shikongo before falling to a mistimed flick.
A brief slowdown followed as Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma departed in quick succession, with India managing only 20 runs between overs seven and 12.
But the momentum swung back decisively when Hardik took charge. His 52 off 28 balls, studded with four fours and four sixes, came in a rapid 81-run partnership with Shivam Dube for the fifth wicket. Hardik’s powerful hitting through extra cover and cow corner thrilled the home crowd.
Namibia’s captain Gerhard Erasmus stood out with the ball, claiming four for 20 in a spell marked by inventive off-spin variations. His improvisation briefly checked India’s charge, and Namibia also grabbed five wickets for just 10 runs in the final two overs to limit the total.
However, the chase faltered once India’s spinners took control. Varun Chakravarthy (3 for 7) bewildered the batters with his variations, while Axar Patel provided support as Namibia’s resistance crumbled.
Though the visitors kept pace early on, their limited experience against quality spin was exposed as wickets tumbled. In the end, India’s firepower with the bat and guile with the ball proved far too much, sealing a comprehensive victory and strengthening their position in Group A.
