In a high-octane clash at Arun Jaitley Stadium, India powered to 209/9 against Namibia, etching their name deeper into T20 lore. This was the record 47th occasion of India breaching 200 runs in the shortest format, a testament to their aggressive blueprint.
South Africa lags at 29 instances, New Zealand at 28, with Australia and West Indies tied on 25. Post-T20 World Cup 2024, India’s 14 such knocks dwarf competitors’ maximum of seven, highlighting their post-tournament surge.
Ranking as India’s third-best T20 World Cup total, 209/9 trails only the 218/4 vs England (2007) and 210/2 vs Afghanistan (2021). Bowled out to bat first after losing toss, India unleashed mayhem.
Openers set the tone, but Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma’s 79-run alliance in 31 balls stole the show. Kishan’s 24-ball 61, featuring 5 maximums and 6 boundaries, was pure carnage. Varma added 25.
Captain Hardik Pandya steadied and accelerated, smashing 52 alongside Shivam Dube’s 23 in a match-turning 81-run stand over 39 balls. The momentum shifted dramatically past 200, though Namibia clawed back late with quick strikes.
Erasmus led Namibia’s fightback with 4 wickets for 20 runs. Shikongo, Smuts, and Scholtz chipped in with one apiece. This innings reaffirms India’s status as T20 batting giants, poised for more milestones.