India beat Namibia by 93 runs at the Kotla in New Delhi on Feb. 12, cruising to a 209/9 before bowling the visitors out for 116 in 18.2 overs as Ishan Kishan (61 off 24) and Hardik Pandya (52 off 28) led the charge and Varun Chakravarthy’s three-wicket burst helped seal a dominant win that moves India close to the Super Eights. The margin was India’s largest in a T20 World Cup, but the performance also raised questions ahead of their looming meeting with Pakistan. (PTI)
Kishan’s blistering start — five sixes and six fours in a 20-ball fifty — set the tone, with Pandya following through to push India past 200. Sanju Samson provided late fireworks, hitting three sixes in a 22-ball 22, but missed a chance to convert his cameo into a longer innings. Suryakumar Yadav managed only 12 before falling to a quality delivery from left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz and being stumped.
Namibia’s skipper Gerhard Erasmus was the surprise package, returning career-best figures of 4 for 20 and unsettling India with an unusual side-arm action and occasional deliveries from behind the crease. His 24 balls posed real challenges to Kishan, Pandya and Tilak Varma, and his variations offered a preview of the kind of bowling India could face from Pakistan’s Usman Tariq on a tackier Premadasa track in Colombo.
When Namibia chased, their hitters had early success but could not sustain it against India’s wrist-spin and pace. Varun Chakravarthy ripped through the middle order with 3 for 7 in two overs, while Pandya contributed 2 for 21 and Axar Patel chipped in with 2 for 20 as the African side faltered under pressure. Louren Steenkamp top-scored with 29 for Namibia.
The win leaves India requiring one more victory from their remaining two group matches to secure a place in the Super Eights, but the encouragement from the margin is tempered by the discomfort caused by Erasmus’s unorthodox bowling and a batting middle phase that at times looked vulnerable despite a 200-plus total. (PTI)
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/02/13/erasmus-spell-tempers-indias-dominant-win/
Category: SPORTS
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Publish Date: 2026-02-13 07:14:00
