India crush Namibia to go top on net run rate
Defending champions India national cricket team hammered Namibia national cricket team by 93 runs in a Group A game at Arun Jaitley Stadium. Put in to bat, India posted 209/9 and then bowled Namibia out for 116 in 18.2 overs. It is their second straight win and it lifts them above Pakistan national cricket team on net run rate. The arch-rivals meet in Colombo on Sunday.
Rapid fifties set the tone
Opener Ishan Kishan smashed 61. All-rounder Hardik Pandya added 52 with four sixes. India surged to 100 inside nine overs before Namibia’s captain Gerhard Erasmus (4/20) slowed the charge. India still cleared 200 after late hits from Pandya and Shivam Dube.
Spinners seal a one-sided chase
Leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy wrecked the reply with 3/7. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel and Pandya took two apiece. A fit-again Jasprit Bumrah nailed a yorker to remove Ruben Trumpelmann. Namibia lost momentum after a brisk start from Louren Steenkamp (29) and Jan Frylinck (22).
What the result means
India sit atop Group A with two wins from two, ahead of Pakistan on net run rate. The Delhi result keeps the holders on track for the Super Eight phase. Attention now shifts to Sunday’s blockbuster in Colombo.
What they said
“It was a pretty good game for everyone… not an easy wicket,” captain Suryakumar Yadav said, praising the start and the control through the middle overs. Namibia’s Erasmus pointed to Chakravarthy’s spell as the turning point after the powerplay.
India’s dominant win, built on tempo batting and incisive spin, sets up a high-stakes clash with Pakistan as the group stage tightens
