All-round India crush Namibia to register biggest win in T20 WCs

Ishan Kishan's explosive 61 and a fine all-round show from Hardik Pandya (52 & 2-20) helped India make it two in two with a comprehensive 93-run victory – their biggest in T20 World Cups (by runs) – over Namibia in Delhi on Thursday (February 12). The two half-century knocks helped India post a formidable 209 for 9 after being asked to bat first. Namibia made a bright start to their reply but fell apart against spin in the middle-overs.

India's new opening pair of Kishan and Sanju Samson signalled their intent immediately. Samson smashed 22 off just eight balls before falling in the second over. Kishan then unleashed a brutal assault, reaching his half-century in just 20 deliveries. His knock was highlighted by four consecutive sixes in the final over of the PowerPlay.

By the end of the PowerPlay, India had raced to 86 for 1. The fastest team century in Men's T20 World Cup history followed shortly after in the seventh over.

The middle overs saw Namibia claw their way back. Gerhard Erasmus dismissed the dangerous Kishan for 61 off 24 balls with his first delivery. Bernard Scholtz accounted for Suryakumar Yadav (12), and Erasmus also removed Tilak Varma for 25. India slipped from 104 for 1 to 124 for 4.

Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube steadied the ship with an 81-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Pandya was aggressive, striking four sixes and four boundaries for his 52 off 28 balls. Dube contributed 23.

Just when India seemed set for 230+, the final two overs saw a dramatic shift. Erasmus dismissed Pandya and bowled Axar Patel for a golden duck in the 19th over, while Dube was run out. JJ Smit removed Rinku Singh and executed a run-out on the final ball. India lost five wickets for just 10 runs but posted a competitive 209/9. Erasmus finished with 4 for 20.

Namibia's chase started promisingly but unravelled against spin, slipping from 67 for 1 to 94 for 6 in 32 deliveries. All five wickets in this phase fell to Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel.

Jan Frylinck made a brisk 22 before falling to Arshdeep Singh. His opening partner, Louren Steenkamp, scored 29, including a 17-run final over of the PowerPlay against Arshdeep.

Chakaravarthy struck with his first ball after the PowerPlay, castling Steenkamp. Erasmus hit a couple of sixes off Axar before holing out to him. Chakaravarthy removed David Wiese and cleaned up JJ Smit with a googly.

Axar Patel took a sharp return catch to dismiss Malan Kruger. The two spinners combined for figures of 5 for 27 in this phase, decisively shifting the match.

The pacers returned to clean up the tail. Jasprit Bumrah bowled Ruben Trumpelmann with a yorker. Hardik Pandya took two wickets in two balls in his final over, finishing with 2 for 21. Shivam Dube also claimed a wicket as Namibia were bowled out for 116 in 18.2 overs.

Brief scores: India 209/9 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 61, Hardik Pandya 52; Gerhard Erasmus 4-20) beat Namibia 116 all out in 18.2 overs (Louren Steenkamp 29, Jan Frylinck 22; Varun Chakaravarthy 3-7, Hardik Pandya 2-21, Axar Patel 2-20) by 93 runs.