India posted 209/9 against Namibia in theT20 World Cup 2026 match in New Delhi, powered by Ishan Kishan & Hardik Pandya. But a late collapse—5 wickets for 4 runs, sparked fan outrage, even as India cruised to a 93-run win.
Team India witnessed a dramatic collapse in the batting line-up in the T20 World Cup 2026 Group A match against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday, February 12.
After being put into bat first by Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus, Team India posted a total of 209/9, thanks to half-centuries by Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan. Ishan led the batting with a fiery knock of 61 off 24 balls, including 6 fours and 5 sixes, at an impressive rate of 254.17. While Hardik Pandya contributed significantly in the middle order, scoring 52 off 28 balls, including 4 fours and as many sixes, at a strike rate of 185.71.
For Namibia, Gerhard Erasmus led the bowling attack with figures of 4/20 at an economy rate of 5.00 in his spell of four overs. JJ Smit (1/50), Ben Shikongo (1/41), and Bernard Scholtz (1/41) picked a wicket each as Namibia staged a remarkable fightback in the latter stages of the innings.
Dramatic Batting Collapse for Team India
Team India was in a commendable position, with Ishan Kishan’s blazing 61-run knock taking past the 100-run mark in the seventh over of the innings before Hardik Pandya unleashed his firepower in the middle order, taking the Men in Blue past the 200-run mark in the penultimate over of the hosts’ batting.
After Tilak Varma’s (25) dismissal at 124/4, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube stitched a crucial 81-run stand for the fifth wicket, with the former almost scoring 61% of the runs in the partnership before his dismissal at 205/5. Thereafter, what followed was a shocking collapse, which the Team India management did not expect.
After Hardik’s dismissal, India collapsed to 209/9, with the dismissals of Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Rinku Singh, and Arshdeep Singh, losing five wickets for just 4 runs. Gerhard Erasmus triggered a collapse in India’s batting by taking three wickets in a single, giving Namibia a stunning advantage after they were dominated by Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya.
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Team India’s batting collapse was almost to their opening match of the tournament against the USA in Mumbai, but in reverse, as this time their top and middle order flourished before the tail collapsed, highlighting ongoing concerns about consistency and finishing ability under pressure.
Apparently, India’s batting collapse prevented the Men in Blue from posting a commanding total on the board. However, Hardik and Ishan’s fiery performances played a role in ensuring the hosts go past the 200-run mark.
India’s Batting Collapse Sparks Outrage
The collapse in India’s batting has triggered outrage among fans and cricket enthusiasts, who were quite shocked and frustrated at the tail’s failure after such a strong start. Losing 5 wickets for 4 runs against an Associate team left fans fuming, with fans venting their frustrations and anger on social media, especially X.
Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts expressed concern over India’s batting frailties, highlighting collapses against both the USA and Namibia, struggles against spin, and poor finishing in the crucial overs of the innings. Fans criticized team selection, the inability to handle pressure, and questioned India’s chances against stronger teams in later stages.
Many pointed out that the middle and lower orders’ inability to carry on the momentum provided by the top order left the innings vulnerable, while many praised Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus for his bowling brilliance.
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Meanwhile, Team India clinched a 93-run victory over Namibia. After posting a total of 209/9, the Indian bowling attack, led by Varun Chakravarthy, bundled out the visitors for 116 runs in 18.2 overs. Charvarthy picked three wickets while conceding just seven runs in his spell of four overs. Hardik Pandya (2/21) and Axar Patel (2/20) picked two wickets each, while Jasprit Bumrah (1/20), Shivam Dube (1/11), and Arshdeep Singh (1/36) took a scalp each.
Team India will next face Pakistan in the much-anticipated clash at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15.