India and Namibia are all set to lock horns in the 18th match of the ongoing T20I World Cup on Thursday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Both sides will take the field under different circumstances, making this showdown an exciting battle. 

India head into the match riding high on confidence after a commanding victory over the United States in their tournament opener, strengthening their position in the group as they move forward in the tournament. Against USA, India showcased their depth and balance across all departments, boosting their chances in the 20-team event.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav delivered a fiery performance, leading the charge at the top of the order with a gusty 84 unbeaten off 49. His innings was laced with 10 boundaries and four sixes, remaining the top scorer for the team. Indian bowlers also displayed a complete performance, with Mohammed Siraj, spearheading the attack, taking three wickets. Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel took two wickets each to cripple USA's chase.

Namibia, on the other hand, will be eager to bounce back after suffering a defeat against the Netherlands in their opening fixture. Despite the loss, they fought hard, showing their resilience. Against India, they will need to put together a more consistent performance to turn their fortunes around. Above all, this will be an opportunity for Namibia to test their potential against a team of India’s calibre. 

India, meanwhile, will look to maintain their winning momentum and strengthen their path toward the knockout stages. However, they are sweating over the fitness of star opener Abhishek Sharma, who, according to reports, has been admitted to hospital with a stomach infection. If Abhishek doesn't recover in time, the management could bring in Sanju Samson to open the innings for the side. 

Head-to-head

Matches - 1

India won - 1

Namibia won - 0

India possible XI: Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy

Namibia possible XI: Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (c), JJ Smit, Zane Green (wk), Dylan Leicher, Ruben Trumpelmann, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, Max Heingo