In Match 18 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, defending champions India defeated Namibia by 93 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
India came out ablaze, scoring 86 runs in the powerplay to build the groundwork for a big total. Ishan Kishan (61) set the tone with a scorching knock, hitting six fours and five sixes at a strike rate of more than 250. Sanju Samson (28) also hit a few boundaries upfront but couldn’t stretch it for a longer run. Despite a brief lull in the middle part, Hardik Pandya’s (52) fifty rekindled the attack. His strong strokeplay, along with cameos from Tilak Varma (25) and Shivam Dube (23), helped India pass the 200-run barrier. Despite losing wickets in the dying overs, India’s early momentum proved pivotal, as they scored an impressive 209/9.
Chasing 210 was always going to be a difficult challenge, and Namibia’s innings never got momentum. Louren Steenkamp (29) and Jan Frylinck (22) got the team off to a strong start, helping them reach 57 in the power play. However, frequent wickets hampered the chase. Contributions from Loftie-Eaton (13) and Erasmus (18) were insufficient to make a serious challenge, as the needed rate increased. Namibia were finally bowled out for 116, falling far short of their target.
India’s bowling unit supplemented the batting effort with a disciplined performance. Varun Chakaravarthy was the main destroyer, taking 3/7 in only two overs, destroying Namibia’s middle order. Axar Patel (2/20) and Pandya (2/21) delivered significant wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh applied pressure with controlled spells. Namibia never formed a dangerous partnership, and the bowlers sealed a 93-run victory.
Namibian bowlers failed to handle India’s blistering start. Captain Gerhard Erasmus was the main performer, producing superb figures of 4/20 in four overs and momentarily bringing the game back in the middle. However, Namibia suffered from a lack of help on the other end, with JJ Smit and Ben Shikongo proving costly. Their inability to stop the early rush of runs eventually left them behind in the game.
With this win, India now have four points and lead the Group A points table. They now take on their arch-rivals, Pakistan, next on February 15 at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Scorecard:
India: 209/9, Overs 20, Ishan Kishan 61, Gerhard Erasmus 4/20
Namibia: 116/10 , Overs 18.2, Louren Steenkamp 29, Varun Chakaravarthy 3/7
