T20 WC: Changes on cards as India eye win over Namibia before Pakistan showdown

New Delhi: Amidst the mist in early morning hours before heat takes over the skies for the rest of the day, the thrill factor in New Delhi will go up a notch when defending champions India take on Namibia in a Group A clash of 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday evening.

The Suryakumar Yadav-led side had an almighty escape against the USA to kick off their title defence on a winning note, thanks to the skipper dishing out a rescue act masterclass at his home ground.

With lessons learnt from that near banana peel situation, India would seek a more authoritative performance against Namibia before their attention shifts to the marquee clash against Pakistan in Colombo on Sunday.

As the sun made way for night time to take centrestage, Jasprit Bumrah was back at what he does best - running in, rhythm restored, and menace intact. After ten days away from the bowling crease due to illness, Bumrah bowled at full tilt during Tuesday's training session. His return could mean that Mohammed Siraj, who had an impressive showing by picking three wickets against the USA after being called as a last-minute replacement for Harshit Rana, will be forced to make way for him.

But Bumrah's return is just one piece of a puzzle that the Indian team think-tank is still assembling.

Abhishek Sharma, the swashbuckling opener whose audacious strokeplay can change games in mere minutes, is in hospital with a stomach bug. His first-ball golden duck against the USA was followed by absence from the fielding innings due to viral fever and an upset stomach.

Should Abhishek be deemed unavailable for Thursday’s clash, the spotlight will turn to Sanju Samson, the elegant keeper-batsman whose fortunes have oscillated like a pendulum. Losing his opening spot to an in-form Ishan Kishan after a lean patch against New Zealand, Samson now finds himself on the verge of getting back his opening slot.

But the pressure to perform will be high on Samson – he averages just 16.8 in T20Is since 2025 and has been out 10 times in the first six overs. In Tuesday’s practice session, he was tentative initially before getting the timing right.

Despite hosting just one game so far, New Delhi has already established itself as venue offering the highest turn so far in this tournament, the onus will be high on Samson to be the perfect partner with Kishan to maximise power-play returns.

For Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, this is the ground where they've plied their trade for Delhi Capitals in countless IPL battles. They know every crack, rough patch, and inch of the small ground so well that it will come to advantage for keeping Namibia’s batters on a tight leash.

Though Axar was surprisingly sent in at number eight in Mumbai, if trouble strikes again in New Delhi, expect Axar to arrive much earlier and target short boundaries easily. (IANS)

Also Read: Abhishek Sharma Discharged from Hospital, Decision on Namibia Match Pending