Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir hosted a special team dinner at his residence in New Delhi on Sunday, as the side continues its preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The gathering came ahead of India’s second Group A fixture against Namibia, scheduled for February 12 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla was also present at the informal get-together, which served as a bonding exercise following India’s opening victory of the tournament.
India began their T20 World Cup campaign with a solid 29-run win over the United States at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7.
Asked to bat first, the defending champions posted 161 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs after recovering from early setbacks.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav led from the front with a composed and authoritative unbeaten 84 off 49 deliveries, anchoring the innings after India lost four wickets inside the powerplay. Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma chipped in with useful contributions to help India reach a defendable total on a surface that offered assistance to bowlers.
For the USA, Shadley van Schalkwyk and Harmeet Singh were the standout performers with the ball, applying consistent pressure during the middle overs.
In response, the USA put up a spirited fight but were restricted to 132 for 8 in 20 overs. Milind Kumar, Sanjay Krishnamurthi and Shubham Ranjane offered resistance with the bat, but India’s bowling unit held firm. Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh picked up key wickets at crucial junctures to seal the victory.
India will now look to build momentum when they face Namibia in New Delhi, with Gambhir and the team management keen to maintain focus as the group stage progresses.