KEY POINTS
- Ishan Kishan smashed 18-ball fifty while Hardik Pandya struck 28-ball 52 as India posted 209/9 in Delhi.
- Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus returned career-best T20I figures of 4/20.
NEW DELHI: Ishan Kishani’s explosive 61 off 24 balls and Hardik Pandya’s blistering 52 off 28 propelled India to a commanding 209 runs against Namibia in their Group A T20 World Cup clash, despite a stunning four-wicket haul by Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus.
Opting to field first, Namibia struck early when Ben Shikongo removed Sanju Samson for an 8-ball 22 in the second over.
But Kishan responded with a six-hitting spree, racing to his fifty in just 18 deliveries.
The left-hander smashed six fours and five maximums before falling to Erasmus for 61, ending a 79-run stand with Tilak Varma.
Ishan Kishan was in his element in the last over of powerplay as he raced to the half-century mark in style 🔥
Watch the 28-run over against Namibia 🎥⬇️https://t.co/iU0MdRVrgy
— ICC (@ICC) February 12, 2026
Suryakumar Yadav’s struggles continued, managing just 12 before Green stumped him off Bernard Scholtz. When Tilak Varma fell to Erasmus for a 21-ball 25, India slipped to 124 for 4 in the 12th over.
Pandya’s late carnage
Hardik Pandya then launched a brutal counterattack. The vice-captain smashed four fours and four sixes in his 28-ball 52, adding 81 runs in just 6.3 overs with Shivam Dube.
Pandya’s onslaught ended in the 19th over, caught off a top-edge attempting his fifth six.
A cracking half-century from Hardik Pandya sets India up in Delhi👊
It is one of the @marriottbonvoy Milestones of the #T20WorldCup👌
📝: https://t.co/UajUMbf3Tn pic.twitter.com/U9lHf0IVPl
— ICC (@ICC) February 12, 2026
Namibia’s death-over brilliance saw four wickets fall in the final two overs, including two run-outs.
Erasmus finished with remarkable figures of 4 for 20, his best in T20Is, but the damage had been done.
Milestone watch
Kishan’s 18-ball fifty ranks as the third-fastest by an Indian in T20 World Cups, behind Yuvraj Singh’s 12-ball effort and KL Rahul’s 14-ball fifty.
Pandya now has three T20I fifties in his last five innings.
With 210 needed for victory, Namibia face a daunting chase against India’s formidable bowling attack on a true Delhi surface.
