India raced to a record-breaking start powered by Ishan Kishan’s 20-ball fifty, but Namibia staged a strong comeback through disciplined spin and sharp death bowling. A late collapse saw India finish at 209/9 after looking set for a much bigger total.
Blistering Powerplay Sets the Tone
New Delhi: India came out all guns blazing after being put into bat, with Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan tearing into the Namibian pace attack. Samson struck three towering sixes in a quickfire 22 off just eight balls before falling to Ben Shikongo. However, that dismissal did little to slow the charge as Kishan shifted gears spectacularly.
The left-hander unleashed carnage in the final over of the powerplay, smashing four consecutive sixes and a four to race to a 20-ball half-century. India stormed to 86/1 in six overs — one of their highest powerplay totals in T20 World Cup history — and soon registered the fastest team hundred in the tournament’s history.
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Just when India looked set for a record-breaking total, Namibia’s spinners pulled things back impressively. Skipper Gerhard Erasmus led from the front, dismissing Kishan for a breathtaking 61 off 24 balls. Bernard Scholtz then removed Suryakumar Yadav with a sharp stumping, tightening the screws during the middle overs.
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Tilak Varma, after a promising start, also fell to Erasmus as Namibia clawed their way back into the contest with disciplined spin bowling and clever variations.
Hardik Pandya absorbed the pressure before launching a fierce counterattack. Alongside Shivam Dube, he rebuilt the innings and shifted momentum once more. Hardik brought up a 28-ball half-century with a towering six, looking poised to take India beyond 220.
But the drama intensified in the death overs. Erasmus struck immediately after Hardik’s fifty, triggering a collapse. Dube was run out in a mix-up, Axar Patel was bowled first ball, and Rinku Singh fell attempting to accelerate. JJ Smit capped off a remarkable comeback spell, and Arshdeep Singh was run out off the final delivery as India finished at 209/9.
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Despite conceding heavily in the powerplay, Namibia showed resilience and tactical awareness to restrict the damage late in the innings. Erasmus finished with outstanding figures, and the bowlers executed yorkers and variations effectively at the death to prevent India from breaching the 220-mark.
India’s explosive start promised something extraordinary, but a spirited Namibian fightback ensured the contest remains intriguingly poised.
