3 major concerns for Team India ahead of IND vs NAM T20 World Cup 2026 Group A clash

Team India will face Namibia in their next T20 World Cup 2026 group match on Thursday, February 12. The game will take place at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. This is only the second T20I between India and Namibia, the first being in 2021.

On paper, India looks stronger than Namibia in every department. But ICC tournaments are always high-pressure, and nothing can be taken for granted. India struggled a bit in their last match against another associate team, the USA, which could give Namibia hope for a surprise win.

Here are three things Team India needs to worry about ahead of the IND vs NAM T20 World Cup 2026 match.

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1. Abhishek Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah’s Fitness

Team India has faced many injuries before the World Cup, and some problems continue even now. Two key players, Abhishek Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, are unwell. This means India may have to use their bench players more than they want.

Bumrah did not play against the USA, and Mohammed Siraj replaced him immediately. Abhishek Sharma got out for a golden duck in the first innings and missed fielding in the second innings. He was also unwell and left the team dinner early, which worries the team.

If Sharma and Bumrah cannot recover in time, India may have to rely on Sanju Samson and the returning Mohammed Siraj. The bench players can perform well, especially against Namibia, but using them affects India’s strong image, which was already shaken after their close call against the USA.

2. Need for a Plan B

India’s opening match against the USA was a warning. The team struggled at 77-6 before the captain led a recovery. This showed that India can face problems if things do not go their way.

The Wankhede pitch made India’s aggressive approach risky. In ICC tournaments, pitches are usually neutral, so India may need to adjust their plan even with home advantage.

India has Tilak Varma as a stable batter and a strong lower-middle order. This allows them to slow down or speed up their batting as needed. The match against Namibia is a good chance to try a slightly different approach before tougher games later in the tournament.

3. Namibia’s Strength in Taking Early Wickets

The USA surprised India by taking four early wickets in the powerplay. India plays aggressively at the start, which makes them more likely to lose early wickets.

Namibia is very strong at taking early wickets. In their last four matches, bowlers like Bernard Scholtz, Ruben Trumpelmann, and Max Heingo have been effective in the powerplay.

Even though Namibia lost to India ‘A’ by 130 runs in a warm-up game, they reduced the team to 25-2 by the third over. Against Scotland and South Africa in other games, they also took early wickets, leaving teams at 12-1 and 25-2. In their group game against the Netherlands in Delhi, Scholtz and Trumpelmann took wickets to leave the opposition at 46-2 in the powerplay.