The Indian men’s cricket team is set to take on Namibia in the 18th match of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup campaign, starting February 12. Notably, this match will be held at 7:00 pm IST at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. Before this clash, Sri Lanka will play Oman at 11:00 am IST at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium and then Nepal and Italy will clash in a 3:00 pm IST clash at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
India are the defending champions and are aiming to win their 3rd T20 World Cup. They won the inaugural tournament in 2007.
India, under Suryakumar Yadav, will be aiming to tick the right boxes. They suffered a scare against the USA at the Wankhede, being reduced to 43/4 and 76/6 before a SKY special turned things around.
For Namibia, this will be a tough contest. They would want to play their best cricket and offer a fight.
What is the Context of the IND vs NAM match?
India will be sweating upon Abhishek Sharma, who was hospitalised due to a stomach bug before being released. One can see Sanju Samson get a chance as India will want Sharma to take rest ahead of the clash against Pakistan on Sunday.
Jasprit Bumrah is likely to make a return after missing the USA clash. He bowled full throttle in the last two days and should reclaim his spot from Mohammed Siraj. Notably, Siraj claimed a three-wicket haul against the USA after replacing Harshit Rana.
Namibia suffered a 7-wicket loss against the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup opener. After scoring 156/8, they saw the Dutch hit 159/3.
As per ESPNcricinfo, India and Namibia have met once before in T20Is, with the Men in Blue winning the same.
India – Probable Playing XI
Sanju Samson: The star batter will replace Abhishek Sharma for this game. He had a terrible New Zealand series ahead of the World Cup and lost his place in the team.
Ishan Kishan (wk): He enjoyed a terrific series against New Zealand. It included a century in the 5th T20I. Kishan started well against the USA in India’s opener before perishing.
Tilak Varma: He missed the New Zealand T20I series before making a return in the warm-up clashes for India A and the Indian team, respectively. He scored 26 against the USA.
Suryakumar Yadav (c): He enjoyed a prolific series versus the Kiwis after a disappointing 2025. And then, he hit a sublime 84* versus the USA after having been dropped earlier.
Shivam Dube: A fierce player, Dube perished for a duck against the USA. India didn’t utilise him with the ball as well.
Rinku Singh: India will want to bat deep and have options. Rinku seems like a fine bet. However, he faltered against the USA, scoring 6 runs.
Hardik Pandya: The star all-rounder can be India’s match-winner. He managed a paltry 5 with the bat against the USA and then went wicketless.
Axar Patel: He scored 14 runs against the USA before picking 2/24 from his 4 overs.
Jasprit Bumrah: He will lead the Indian attack. Bumrah will be key both at the top and in the death overs. He owns 107 scalps.
Varun Chakravarthy: He will be the main spinner in India’s ranks. He owns an average of 15-plus in T20Is and has 60 wickets.
Arshdeep Singh: He has 120 scalps in T20Is and took 2/18 versus USA, showcasing his talent.
Player to watch out for (Suryakumar Yadav): The aggressive Indian skipper is amongst the runs of late. He can floor Namibia with a big knock.
Namibia – Probable Playing XI
Louren Steenkamp: The Namibia opener scored a 6-ball 6 versus the Netherlands and will want to make amends.
Jan Frylinck: He got a start and bagged 30 off 26 balls against the Netherlands. He hit 3 fours and a six.
Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton: He scored a 38-ball 42 versus the Dutch. 1 four and 2 sixes flew from his bat.
Gerhard Erasmus (c): The Namibia skipper managed a score of 18 from 9 balls, striking at 200 versus the Dutch.
JJ Smit: He managed 22 runs off 15 balls against the Netherlands and will want to get more runs against India.
Zane Green (wk): He got a struggling 10-ball 9 versus the Netherlands and will aim to make amends.
Ruben Trumpelmann: He scored 9 off 8 balls in the previous clash and then clocked 1/30 from 4 overs.
Dylan Leicher: He scored an unbeaten 6 off 5 balls and needs a proper show this time around.
Willem Myburgh: He bowled 2 overs against the Netherlands and clocked 0/12.
Bernard Scholtz: He bowled 4 overs and managed 1/27 against the Netherlands.
Max Heingo: He had a poor game against the Netherlands, giving away 22 runs off 2 overs.
Player to watch out for (Jan Frylinck): He made an impression in his side’s opener and will want to build from that.
Top Batters for Dream11
In terms of the Dream11 team pick, among batters, the likes of Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton and Suryakumar Yadav can be wise picks alongside Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube.
Ishan Kishan can be a differential pick. He promises fireworks and a sound tempo.
Best All-Rounders to Boost Points
In terms of all-rounders, one can go with two sound options in the form of Hardik Pandya and Ruben Trumpelmann.
Bowlers to Watch in Dream11
The likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy can be wise picks. Bernard Scholtz can be another option.
Captain and Vice-captain picks
SKY can be an ideal captaincy option with Loftie-Eaton being the vice-captain pick.
One can mix it with Kishan being picked as captain and having Frylinck as the vice-captain.
Pitch Report & Venue Conditions
The Arun Jaitley Stadium surface is generally batting-friendly, with short boundaries and a quick outfield encouraging aggressive stroke play. The pitch offers good bounce and carry, allowing batters to play through the line with confidence — ideal conditions for power-hitters like Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya.
Pacers could get some early swing with the new ball, but as the match progresses, it becomes easier for batting. Spinners may have limited assistance unless the surface is dry. Overall, expect a high-scoring contest, with chasing often a preferred option.
Match Prediction – Who Has the Upper Hand?
All things considered, India will be the outright favourites, and one expects them to stamp their authority on Namibia. The minnows would want to show why they are in this tournament and put up a fight.
FAQs About IND vs NAM Playing 11
Who are the key players in the IND vs NAM clash?
Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav is amongst the runs of late. He can floor Namibia with a big knock. For Namibia, Jan Frylinck can make an impression. He got a start in his side’s opener and will want to build from that.
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