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2 min readFeb 12, 2026 07:38 PM IST
India's Sanju Samson managed 22 runs vs Namibia during T20 World Cup 2026 match in New Delhi. (PHOTO: AP)
India opener Sanju Samson’s T20 World Cup debut against Namibia lasted for only eight deliveries, where he managed 22 runs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group A match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday. Samson replaced Abhishek Sharma in the playing XI after the latter missed the game due to an upset stomach and viral fever.
Samson’s whirlwind had three sixes and a four to get all of his runs through boundaries before being dismissed in the second over.
Samson’s first runs in a T20 World Cup came via a six. After almost nicking one behind off the second delivery he faced, Samson slammed Ruben Trumplemann down the ground and over the sightscreen in the first over, having played three dot deliveries earlier. The second over was even more eventful. Samson, after getting the strike on the third ball, went bang, bang, bang against Ben Shikongo, hitting him for two back-to-back sixes behind square and then a four over extra cover, before holing out to Louren Steenkamp at deep mid-wicket off the final delivery.
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Ishan Kishan opened with Abhishek Sharma in India’s tournament opener against USA in Mumbai, where Samson was dropped from the XI after a dismal five-match T20I series against New Zealand in the lead-up to the multi-national showpiece event.
Providing an update on Abhishek’s health, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav said ahead of the toss, “Abhishek is still not fine; he will miss a game or two. Sanju comes in, similar batter, explosive.”
As reported by The Indian Express, Abhishek required examinations for a stomach bug after arriving in New Delhi. Despite being discharged from the hospital, he could not participate in the team’s second T20 World Cup group-stage fixture against Namibia. The left-hander was not seen during India’s training session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.
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