Team India will take on Gerhard Erasmus-led Namibia in the 18th match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Thursday, February 12. This will be the Men in Blue’s second game of the tournament and they will look to continue their winning streak.

India and Namibia are in Group A along with Pakistan, the United States and the Netherlands. Victory in this game will help the home team consolidate their position in the table. The top two teams in the group will advance to the Super 8, and every game is crucial.

This article provides possible line-ups for India and Namibia for the 18th match, possible team combinations and key players to watch out for in Delhi.

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India vs Namibia, Match 18

Opener: Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan

India may continue to open with Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan. The pair failed to play against Team USA, but team management is expected to give them more opportunities to prove their worth.

They will look to handle the new ball and score freely in the power play against Namibia Pacers. A strong start could keep Samson on the bench for a little longer.

Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel

Tilak Varma is expected to bat in the third innings while captain Suryakumar Yadav will man the bat in the fourth innings. Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh will share the role of finisher.

Although the spin conditions are good in Delhi, the addition of Linku Singh has left spinner Kuldeep Yadav out of the playing squad. Axar Patel can float in the batting order, adding balance with bat and ball.

Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh

With star pacer Jasprit Bumrah back, India faces a selection dilemma. Despite taking three wickets in the last game, Mohammad Siraj could still be dropped. Varun Chakravarthy will lead the spin attack along with Axar Patel.

Indian Team XI: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh.

Namibia vs India, Match 18

Opening match: Jan Frylinck and Louren Steenkamp

Namibia are likely to opt for Jan Freylinck and Lauren Steenkamp as their starting pairing. Freylinck will look to attack his opponents, while Steenkamp will work on setting up the innings.

The pair provides a left-right combination that is expected to dominate India’s new-ball attack. If they keep going, they can put serious pressure on the bowlers in the powerplay.

Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Malan Kruger, Gerhard Erasmus (III), Jan-Nicole Lofty-Eton, JJ Smit, Zane Green (WEEK)

Captain Gerhard Erasmus is the mainstay of the lineup. The middle order was packed with power hitters, with Jan-Nicola Lofty-Eaton and JJ Smit able to clear the ropes with ease. Smit will play a key closing role while Zane Green will take over the gloves.

Bowlers: Ruben Troupelmann, Bernard Scholz, Max Heingo, William Myburg

The bowling attack will be dominated by the left-arm speed of Ruben Trumpelmann, who can swing the new ball and contribute lower in the order with the bat. The experienced Bernard Scholtz will take charge of the spin duties, which will be crucial on the ground for Delhi. William Maibo was expected to complete the attack.

Namibia starting lineup: Jan Frylinck, Louren Steenkamp, ​​Malan Kruger, Gerhard Erasmus (centre), Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, JJ Smit, Zane Green (wk), Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz, Max Heingo, Willem Myburgh.

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