Namibia Elects to Bowl vs India in Crucial T20 WC Clash at Delhi

Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus won the toss and chose to bowl first against India in a Group A T20 World Cup match in New Delhi. Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav stated he was happy to bat first, emphasizing the importance of defending a total for team confidence. India made two changes, with Sanju Samson replacing the unwell Abhishek Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah coming in for Mohammed Siraj. Namibia, after a loss to the Netherlands, needs a victory in this match to keep their tournament hopes alive.

Key Points: Namibia vs India T20 WC: Toss, Playing XI, Match Preview

  • Namibia bowls first after winning toss
  • India bats first, Samson replaces unwell Abhishek
  • Bumrah returns, Siraj rested
  • Namibia must-win to stay alive
  • Dew expected to be a factor
2 min read

T20 WC: Namibia skipper Erasmus wins toss, opts to bowl first against India at Delhi

Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus opts to bowl first against India in Delhi. Get toss updates, playing XIs, and key quotes from Suryakumar Yadav.

"s from Suryakumar Yadav.QUOTE: As long as we are losing the toss and winning the game, we are fine with it. - Suryakumar Yadav"

New Delhi, February 12

Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus won the toss and elected to bowl first during his side's ICC T20 World Cup match against India at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday.

India would be aiming to continue their normal services, with plenty of fours, sixes and records after surviving a scare against the USA at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on February 7. Namibia, on the other hand, has suffered a loss to the Netherlands and needs to win this one to stay alive in the tournament.

Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus said during the toss, "We are going to have a bowl. It is a very good flat cricketing surface; from a surface and dew point point of view, it is the right thing to do. It is about tightening our skillset. Looks like a good wicket, try and chase it in the second half. That is why we play cricket, to entertain."

For India, Abhishek Sharma will be missing due to a stomach infection, with Sanju Samson getting his spot.

Speaking during the toss, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav said, "We were looking to bat first. Very happy with it. As long as we are losing the toss and winning the game, we are fine with it. It's a big tournament, and this dew is going to be a big factor, but when you bat first and go out and defend, I think it gives you a lot of confidence. It's a very good wicket. Hopefully, batters go out and enjoy themselves. Abhishek is still not fine; he will miss a game or two. Sanju comes in, a similar batter, explosive. Jasprit (Bumrah) comes in for (Mohammed) Siraj."

Namibia (Playing XI): Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus(c), JJ Smit, Zane Green(w), Ruben Trumpelmann, Malan Kruger, Bernard Scholtz, Ben Shikongo, Max Heingo

India (Playing XI): Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan(w), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting decision by Namibia. Chasing under lights in Delhi can be tricky with the dew, but if their bowling is tight early on, they could put pressure. Hope it's a competitive game!
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Ananya R
Get well soon, Abhishek Sharma! But wow, what an opportunity for Sanju Samson. He's been waiting in the wings for so long. Time to show his explosive talent on the big stage. All the best to him! 🤞
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Vikram M
Bumrah is back! That's the biggest news. Our bowling attack looks complete now. Namibia batters will have a real test facing him, Arshdeep, and Axar on this pitch.
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Karthik V
Respect to Namibia for their spirit. They play to entertain, as their skipper said. But honestly, on paper, this should be a comfortable win for India. We just need to avoid another scare like the USA match. Bat first, put up 200+, and let the bowlers do the rest.
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Priya S
The middle order with SKY, Hardik, and Dube looks terrifying for any bowling attack. Hope they all fire together today. Let's get the net run rate up, boys! 💥
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Michael C
As a neutral fan,

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