India play Namibia tonight but Pakistan is on everyone’s mind. It’s the reality of tournament cricket – you can’t ignore what’s coming next, even if it’s a must-win right now. Suryakumar Yadav’s men will insist they only focus on Namibiaand they should be. But the clash in Pakistan looms large and tonight is also about preparing for that.
Respectfully, Namibia may not be India’s biggest threat right now, but the defending champions have not been at their best. Even against an associate nation like the USA, India was tested. The batting unit was struggling to get used to the Wankhede conditions and to get them out of the fire, the skipper needed to knock.
Tonight’s challenge is clear: beat Namibia convincingly while coming up with the best combinations for the bigger battles ahead. Are they experimenting? Are they playing it safe? Team selection and approach will reveal how much India are thinking beyond just two points.
OPENING RIDDLE
The biggest question mark hangs over the opening slot. Abhishek Sharma looked during the USA match and his subsequent hospitalization –although he has since been released—expressed concern about his fitness. Can he dig deep and return to his best? A rest may be in order, but then there is the question of whether he will be ready for the rest of the tournament.
The idea of him not having Abhishek seemed far-fetched at first. There is now a real possibility that he could miss today’s match and potentially the match against Pakistan if he doesn’t recover in time. That would be a considerable blow – Abhishek got the better of Pakistan during their Asia Cup match and India would prefer to have that firepower at their disposal.
“You want to make sure that Abhishek Sharma is really, really fresh and fit for the 15th match, which is very important for the country,” Irfan Pathan told Star Sports, hinting at the management’s priorities.
So who will start? Sanju Samson is the obvious choice as the next opener in the team but she has not been in great form recently. He was spotted training in Delhiand the question is whether he can knock profusely to bring relief to himself and the team heading to Pakistan. Will Sanju get his chance in Delhi? (Courtesy: PTI)
“Right now Sanju hasn’t scored but that opportunity may come,” Pathan added. “You want him to feel good as well, because if there’s an injury tomorrow, you want someone to come into the team feeling a little bit better.”
Adding to the complications was Ishan Kishan – who had taken over the opening slot from Sanju before the tournament –he also suffered a wound. While it remains to be seen whether he will be ready, India must explore its options.
This is where things get interesting. Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel came up with an unconventional idea: open with Washington Sundar.
“When you think about preparing a playing XI for Colombo where the ball turns a bit and stops a bit, why not try to open with Washington Sundar instead of bringing in Sanju Samson?” Parthiv told Star Sports. “In case Abhishek is not fit to face Pakistan, you will have an attacking opener and a spinner, which can come in handy against Pakistan.
It’s not as wild as it sounds. Sundar’s top-order numbers – 710 runs in 29 T20s while batting anywhere from opener to No.4 – show he can do the job. His strike-rate of 128.39 may not blow anyone away, but his experience at the top since 2019 counts for something. Last time he smashed a quickfire 48 in 24 balls against Mumbai Indians in Chandigarh. If this madness becomes reality, there is a way.
SPINNING THE NET
The other big tactical question is whether India will really spin tonight. Be it at the Wankhede or the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, spin has played a significant role in this tournament. Rohit Sharma relied on a rotating unit in 2024 and we could see a repeat with Namibia providing the perfect Test base.
Kuldeep Yadav is the leading player of the side. He knows the conditions in Delhi from his time with the Capitals and on the international circuit. Crucially, he has played ODIs and T20Is in Colombo, giving him an edge over Varun Chakravarthy, who has just three games there and only two wickets to show.
Pakistan’s big-rotation plan – featuring Usman Tariq, Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Nawaz and Abrar Ahmad – has worked well so far. With this approach, they won both matches against the USA and the Netherlands.
“I would like to see Kuldeep Yadav play,” Pathan said. “If he plays in Colombo where the pitch changes, you will want an extra spinner against Pakistan’s middle order batsmen. This is where Kuldeep can have a big impact and the Pakistanis are not playing that well.”
Kuldeep getting game time now means he will be ready if he is thrown right into the Pakistan cauldron. Other teams like Sri Lanka have already shown that spin and bowlers with nice changes are the way to go in these conditions.
BUMRAH’S RETURN COMPLETES THE PICTURE
Then there’s the trump card: Jasprit Bumrah. His return after being rested is a massive boost, especially after India looked slightly off with the ball against USA. There is probably no one better than Bumrah with his endless variations that leave the batters bewildered.
“I know it’s only 4 overs in a T20 game but you still want to go out and play a game before you play a big game,” said Parthiv. “Jasprit Bumrah is someone who likes to bowl. He wants to play all the games, so it will be interesting to see who India play him for.” Bumrah is back and raring to go (Courtesy: PTI)
Having Bumrah sharp and ready for Pakistan is non-negotiable. Tonight gives him that opportunity.
India’s attitude today will tell us everything. Are they taking Namibia as just another game to win or are they using it as a final dress rehearsal before the real show begins? The smart money is on the latter. Tonight is all about Namibia on paper, but Pakistan is the test India are really preparing for.
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Published on:
February 12, 2026