Abhishek Sharma, who was earlier hospitalised due to a stomach infection, will miss out on the clash. Sanju Samson will come in his place for tonight's clash
Gerhard Erasmus, Suryakumar Yadav (Pic: X/@BCCI)
In the T20 World Cup 2026 match against Team India, Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Ben Shikongo will replace Willem Myburgh for the clash against the "Men in Blue".
After winning the toss, Namibia skipper Erasmus said, "We’ve chosen to bowl first because the surface looks flat and true, ideal for setting things up with the ball. With dew likely to settle later, it makes sense to take advantage of early conditions. For us, it’s about sharpening our skills and building stronger partnerships when our turn to bat comes. The wicket looks excellent, and we’re here to play positive cricket and entertain the crowd. It’s always a privilege to play in India, where the atmosphere is fantastic. We’ve made two changes, bringing in an extra seamer—Ben Shikongo replaces Willem Myburgh".
Abhishek Sharma, who was earlier hospitalised due to a stomach infection, will miss out on the clash. Sanju Samson will come in his place for tonight's clash.
On the other hand, Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav said, "We were planning to bat first anyway, so the toss didn’t really affect us—winning games matters more than winning tosses. Defending a total is great preparation, especially in a long tournament where dew can significantly influence the second innings. Putting up a score and then backing our bowlers builds confidence and helps us understand different match scenarios. The pitch looks excellent, and I hope the batters enjoy themselves with such a lively crowd. Abhishek is still recovering and might need another game or two; Sanju replaces him, offering a similar explosive option. Bumrah also returns in place of Siraj, and with the fans cheering loudly, we’re eager to give them a memorable night—and personally, I’m loving my rhythm right now".
T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs NAM: Confirmed Playing XI
India: Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.
Namibia: Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (C), JJ Smit, Zane Green (WK), Ruben Trumpelmann, Malan Kruger, Bernard Scholtz, Ben Shikongo, Max Heingo.
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