India are set to take on Namibia in their next Group A clash of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, and there’s already a big talking point ahead of the game — Abhishek Sharma is doubtful, while Jasprit Bumrah is expected to slot back into the XI.
With India currently placed second in Group A with two points and Namibia struggling at fourth without a win, this fixture looks like a golden opportunity for the defending champions to flex their muscle and sharpen their net run rate.
Big Blow: Abhishek Sharma Doubtful, Samson in Line
India may have to reshuffle their top order. Abhishek Sharma is reportedly down with a stomach infection and is unlikely to feature in the playing XI.
That could open the door for Sanju Samson, who had earlier lost his place to Ishan Kishan after a string of low scores. Kishan, in fact, has been in solid touch and looks settled. But with conditions expected to favour stroke play in Delhi, this could be a much-needed chance for Samson to regain confidence and remind everyone what he’s capable of.
It’s a make-or-break kind of moment.
Delhi Pitch to Favour Batters
Unlike the sticky surface at Wankhede where India’s batting looked a bit stuck against USA, the Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch is expected to be much friendlier for batters.
India’s top order — with the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh — will want to go hard from ball one. Against a side like Namibia, the plan will likely be simple: attack early, pile on runs, and dominate.
On paper, the quality gap is significant. Namibia were outplayed by Netherlands at the same venue and even in a pre-tournament warm-up, an India A side bundled them out for under 100.
Jasprit Bumrah Set to Strengthen Pace Attack
The return of Jasprit Bumrah adds serious bite to India’s bowling attack. Alongside Mohammed Siraj and the spin duo of Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy, India look well balanced.
Even if Namibia try to counter-attack, Bumrah’s presence gives India control in both powerplay and death overs — something that can shut games down quickly.
India vs Namibia T20I Head-to-Head
India and Namibia have met only once in T20 internationals.
That game came during the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 in Dubai, where India comfortably won by nine wickets. The sample size may be small, but it tells you how one-sided this rivalry has been so far.
Namibia will hope to script something special, but realistically, they’ll need an extraordinary performance to challenge India.
India Probable XI vs Namibia
Sanju Samson
Ishan Kishan (wk)
Suryakumar Yadav (c)
Tilak Varma
Rinku Singh
Hardik Pandya
Shivam Dube
Axar Patel
Varun Chakaravarthy
Jasprit Bumrah
Mohammed Siraj
Pakistan vs USA T20 World Cup 2026 LIVE Streaming: Match Time, Venue, Where to Watch in India
Namibia Full Squad
Gerhard Erasmus (c), Zane Green (wk), Bernard Scholtz, Ruben Trumpelmann, JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, Louren Steenkamp, Malan Kruger, Nicol Loftie-Eaton (wk), Jack Brassell, Ben Shikongo, JC Balt, Dylan Leicher, WP Myburgh, Max Heingo.
What’s at Stake?
For India, this is about momentum. A dominant win not only boosts confidence but also strengthens their net run rate — something that often decides semifinal spots in tight groups.
For Namibia, it’s about pride and survival. One upset can flip the group dynamics.
But as things stand, India walk in as clear favourites. Now it’s about delivering on that tag.
