India return to action in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Thursday evening, taking on Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, and the focus is simple — get a clean win and build momentum before the high-voltage clash against Pakistan.
After a nervy start to the campaign, the Men in Blue will want fewer scares and a more clinical performance this time around.
While India scraped through their opener despite a top-order wobble, Namibia too are coming in after mixed results. For both teams, this match is about settling nerves and finding rhythm early in the tournament.
India vs Namibia T20 World Cup 2026: Abhishek Sharma Out, Bumrah In; Check India Probable XI
India eye stability after shaky start
India’s first game wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. A dramatic collapse left them six down for under 80, putting the pressure squarely on the middle order. Eventually, experience helped them cross 160 and secure the points, but it exposed some early concerns.
The good news? Jasprit Bumrah is back. The pace spearhead missed the opener due to illness and his return adds bite to India’s bowling attack.
Abhishek Sharma, who was hospitalised with food poisoning, has recovered but may not be rushed straight into the XI.
Namibia looking for an upset
Namibia haven’t had the best build-up either. A heavy defeat in the warm-up and a loss to the Netherlands in the group stage mean they’re still searching for momentum.
That said, they’ve shown flashes of grit with the bat and could be tricky opponents on slower Indian tracks where big hitting isn’t always easy.
Predicted Playing XI
India (Probable):
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav
Namibia (Probable):
Michael van Lingen, Divan la Cock (wk), Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (c), Jan Frylinck, JJ Smit, David Wiese, Zane Green, Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz, Tangeni Lungameni
Key players to watch
Suryakumar Yadav (India)
India’s captain held the innings together in the opener when things were falling apart. His ability to attack from ball one and handle pressure makes him India’s biggest T20 asset.
Nicol Loftie-Eaton (Namibia)
The top-order batter has impressed with smart shot selection and calmness. On slow Delhi pitches, his ability to rotate strike could make a real difference.
Pitch report: Expect a balanced contest
The Arun Jaitley Stadium generally produces competitive totals rather than run-fests.
The average first-innings score in T20s here is around 145. Spinners tend to get grip as the game progresses, so chasing might not be as straightforward as it looks. Anything above 160 should feel safe.
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Weather update
Conditions look comfortable for cricket.
Mostly cloudy skies with temperatures around 17°C are expected.
Rain threat is minimal at just 10%, humidity around 55%, and light winds — ideal playing weather.
Where to watch live
The match will be streamed live on the JioHotstar app and broadcast on the Star Sports Network.
Toss: 6:30 PM IST
Match start: 7:00 PM IST
Final word
On paper, India are clear favourites. But T20 cricket rarely follows scripts. One good spell or quick cameo can flip the game in minutes.
For India, this is less about just winning and more about sharpening combinations before tougher tests ahead. For Namibia, it’s a free shot at creating one of the tournament’s early upsets.
