In a Group A fixture in New Delhi, India got off to a rollicking start as Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson opened the batting. Sanju was the initial aggressor before Ishan took over after Sanju got out. The pitch looks very flat and India made merry of it as Ishan’s half-century gave India a very strong start. This is a fresh pitch as well. We have to see how things unravel from here.
Sanju Samson falls but Ishan Kishan’s blitz fifty gives India a head-start in powerplay.Â
Put into bat first, Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson came out to open for India while Ruben Trumplemann had ball in hand for Namibia. Ruben bowled a good over before Samson went straight down the ground over the bowler’s head for the maximum. Ben Shikongo took the ball from the other end. Samson took him on by going deep in crease to whip it away over deep backward square leg for the maximum. Sanju went big again as he pulled it over deep backward square leg for the maximum.
Samson then went with a lofted cover drive for a boundary. But the bowler had the last laugh as Samson went for 22 off 8 balls with 1 four and 3 sixes to his name. The bowler bowled a good length delivery around the off-stump that swung back in. Samson looked to clip it away on the leg side and chipped it away from the toe end of the bat. The deep midwicket fielder settled underneath it and took the catch. Tilak Varma came out to bat next.
JJ Smit came onto bowl next. Ishan got into the act as he pressed forward and drove it straight down the ground for a boundary. Ishan again hammered it past mid-on for a boundary. Ishan was given OUT LBW but he reviewed it as he got a clear inside edge that saved the batter. Shikongo continued as Kishan flicked it away over midwicket for a boundary.
Ruben Trumplemann came back into the attack as Ishan flicked it away to deep square leg fence for a boundary. Tilak got into the act as he tickled it down to the fine leg fence for a boundary. The 50 came up for 4.3 overs. Tilak smacked it away through the covers for a boundary. JJ Smit came to bowl the last over of powerplay. Ishan took him on and helped it away over deep backward square leg for the maximum. Ishan went big and thumped it over the bowler’s head for the maximum.
Ishan went big again as he stepped down the track and slammed it over long-on for the maximum. The 50-run stand was up between the duo. Ishan went big again as he pulled it away over backward square leg for the maximum. Ishan hit another boundary by pulling it behind square for a boundary to end the over and powerplay as Ishan reached his fifty in 20 balls. India were 86/1 in 6 overs with Ishan unbeaten on 50 off 20 balls and Tilak unbeaten on 13 off 8 balls. Drinks was taken at the end of the powerplay.
Ishan Kishan falls as Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma takes India to 120 in 10 overs.Â
Max Heingo came into the attack post the powerplay as Tilak rocked back and slashed hard to get an inside edge to the fine leg fence. Tilak was dropped by the fielder at backward point as well. Ishan went big and pulled it away over deep square leg for the maximum. Kishan whipped the ball away towards backward square leg for a boundary. The 100 came up for India in 6.5 overs.
Gerhard Erasmus the captain came to the attack and he dismissed the dangerous Ishan Kishan for 61 off 24 balls with 6 fours and 5 sixes to his name. Erasmus bowled from around the wicket an arm ball short around middle and leg stump. Ishan rocked back and got cramped for room. He looked to play the pull shot and mistimed it from the splice of the blade. The fielder at deep midwicket got underneath it and took the catch. Captain Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat next.
Bernard Scholtz came onto bowl next. He bowled a tight over. Erasmus continued as Surya went big with a slog sweep down on one knee behind square for the maximum over backward square leg. India were 120/2 in 10 overs with Tilak unbeaten on 23 off 16 balls and Suryakumar unbeaten on 12 off 12 balls.
What Lies Ahead.Â
India will aim to finish big and get as much as possible. Namibia will look to take more wickets to stem the flow of runs. That will be important. The pitch is an absolute belter to bat on in New Delhi. Let’s see how the second half of the game has instore for us.
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