T20 World Cup 2026: India Crush Namibia To Create History, Rise To Top Of Group A

New Delhi: India created history on Thursday by crushing Namibia by 93 runs in the T20 World Cup 2026. Setting a target of 210 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, India bowled Namibia out for 116 in 18.2 overs. This is India's biggest win in terms of runs in the T20 World Cup. India broke a 14-year-old record. India had defeated England by 90 runs in the 2012 T20 World Cup.

How did Namibia perform?

Lauren Steenkamp scored the most runs for Namibia against India. He scored 29 runs in 20 balls, including three fours and a six. Frylinck contributed 22, and captain Gerhard Erasmus contributed 18. Jan Nicole Lofty-Eaton scored 13 runs. Five Namibian players, including Malan Kruger, failed to reach double figures. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy bowled brilliantly for India. He took three wickets for seven runs in four overs. Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel took two wickets each, while Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Dube, and Jasprit Bumrah each took one wicket. Hardik delivered an all-round performance and was named Player of the Match.

How did Ishan and Hardik perform?

Earlier, India scored 210 for 9, thanks to explosive half-centuries from openers Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya. Ishan smashed 61 runs off 24 balls, including five sixes and six fours, while Hardik scored 52 runs off 28 balls, including four sixes and as many fours. Ishan gave India a quick start by adding 79 runs for the second wicket with Tilak Verma (25 off 21 balls). Hardik, along with Shivam Dube (23), added 81 runs for the fifth wicket, helping accelerate the run rate in the final overs. The spin duo of captain Gerhard Erasmus (four wickets for 20 runs in four overs) and Bernard Scholtz (one wicket for 41 runs in four overs) bowled well in the middle overs to curb the run rate. India had scored 104 for one in seven overs but could only add 105 runs in the final 13 overs.

How was Sanju Samson's form?

Erasmus won the toss and invited India to bat first. Sanju Samson (22 off 8 balls) opened his account with a six off Ruben Trumpelmann and then hit two sixes and a four off consecutive balls from Ben Shikongo (one wicket for 41 runs). However, he played Shikongo's next ball straight to Lauren Steenkamp at deep midwicket. Ishan completed his half-century in 20 balls with four sixes and a four off consecutive balls of Smit in the sixth over. India scored 86 runs for one wicket in the powerplay. Ishan completed India's century in 6.5 overs with a six and a four off consecutive balls of Heingo, the fastest century by any team in the Men's T20 World Cup. Off-spinner Erasmus gave Namibia a major breakthrough by having Ishan caught by Shikongo at deep midwicket on the first ball of the eighth over.

Did Suryakumar perform well?

Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav was also stumped by wicketkeeper Jan Green off left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz after scoring 12 runs off 13 balls. Tilak then went for a big shot off Erasmus before being caught by Smit at long off, leaving India at 124 for four in the 12th over. Dubey and Hardik each smashed a six off Scholtz in the 15th over to take the team past 150. Hardik hit a six and two fours off consecutive balls off Shikongo. He reached his half-century and the team's 200-run mark in 27 balls with a six off Erasmus in the 19th over. However, he was caught at deep backward square leg off the next ball and returned to the pavilion. Dubey was run out off the next ball, while Erasmus also bowled Axar Patel (0) in the same over. Rinku Singh also fell to Smit for a single, while Arshdeep Singh (2) was run out off the last ball.