New Delhi: At this level, opportunity rarely knocks twice. On a night when India were forced to reshuffle yet again, Ishan Kishan grabbed his chance with both hands, while Sanju Samson’s search for rhythm continued.
In what was expected to be an easy hurdle before they face arch-rivals in Colombo, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy starred in India’s dominant 93-run win over Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
With Abhishek Sharma still sidelined due to a stomach infection, Samson was handed another opportunity in the XI. He was the preferred partner to Abhishek at the top of the order until December 2025, when Ishan Kishan forced his way back into the T20 squad on the back of a memorable domestic season and he seems to be on a mission to prove that it was the right call.
Samson’s cameo
Samson’s innings on Thursday came and went in a flash. His 8-ball 22 was entertaining, tearing into Ben Shikongo with a 6, 6 and 4 but it remained a cameo rather than a statement. Shikongo had the last laugh, rolling his fingers across a slower ball to deceive Samson into chipping tamely to deep mid-wicket.
Striking over 270, that may well have been the memo from the management: hit hard. He didn’t consume too many balls and the intent was there but in their first-ever T20 World Cup outing that arrived via injury cover especially when the openers’ spot looked locked, Samson needed more than a burst of boundaries.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed at the toss that Abhishek could miss another game or two. India look to be in a good space overall but with a Pakistan clash looming in Colombo now and no other specialist batter waiting in the wings, they will need more from Samson. Kishan has shown over the last three months, opportunities at this level don’t wait. Some take them by storm, others are still searching for timing and Samson cannot really afford to let yet another opportunity simply go by.
Kishan’s takedown
After missing out in the first game, Kishan began cautiously before launching a brutal takedown of JJ Smit in the sixth over, scoring 28 runs to seize control of the Powerplay despite Samson’s early dismissal. India raced to 86/1 in the first six. He combined with Tilak Varma for a 79-run partnership with him largely being the aggressor. Once he found rhythm, there was no stopping him.
Starting on a surface that felt “a bit sticky,” Kishan said he allowed himself time before shifting gears. “When I got the rhythm, it was my side and I was supposed to get the momentum going,” he explained after the innings.
Momentum he certainly provided, powering India to 104/1 inside seven overs. At that point, 230 looked well within reach. Namibia, however, had promised a fight despite the daunting occasion of playing the defending champions at home.
India hesitate at death
Led superbly by captain Gerhard Erasmus (4/20), their spinners dragged the game back through the middle overs. Erasmus removed Kishan and applied the brakes.
It took Hardik Pandya’s counterpunch to lift India again. The all-rounder muscled a 28-ball 52 briefly pushing India back onto an imposing trajectory. He combined with Shivam Dube to score an 81-run partnership but was dismissed the next ball after raising his bat for a fifty.
India didn’t finish well with the bat though. They lost five wickets for just three runs at the back end, managing only four runs off the final 11 balls as Smit (1/50) and company nailed their yorkers and slower balls. Smit, after being taken apart early, returned with remarkable composure at the death, conceding just 12 runs in his last two.
India eventually finished on 209/9, a strong total that proved to be far too much for Namibia. Louren Steenkamp (29) and Jan Frylinck (22) could not match up to India’s Powerplay, notching up 57 runs in contrast.
Steenkamp stitched a 33-run partnership with Frylinch and then a 34-run partnership with Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton but Varun Chakravarthy’s googlies proved to be too hard to read for the Namibians.
He dismissed all of Steenkamp, Loftie-Eaton and Smit finishing with 3/7 in two overs. Axar Patel (2/20_ dismissed Erasmus (18) and Malan Kruger (5). The rest of the line-up could not cope with the quality of the Indian attack, as they were bundled out for 116 in 18.2 overs.
