New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS) Wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy claimed 3-7 as defending champions India thrashed Namibia by 93 runs in their Group A clash in the Men’s T20 World Cup at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday.

India posted 209/9 in their 20 overs, powered by Ishan Kishan’s blistering 61 off 24 balls and Hardik Pandya’s 52 off 28 balls. Namibia’s captain Gerhard Erasmus was the pick of their bowlers, returning figures of 4-20 with his slingy style and myriad of variations.

Namibia’s chase began brightly with Louren Steenkamp and Jan Frylinck attacking in the powerplay, but Chakravarthy’s spell dismantled their middle order. Every Indian bowler chipped in with at least a wicket as Namibia were bowled out for 116 in 18.2 overs. The 93-run margin is also India’s biggest victory in Men’s T20 World Cup history, underlining their dominance despite occasional lapses in the match.

Namibia’s chase began with Jan Frylinck taking a four and six off Hardik Pandya, before driving and pulling Arshdeep Singh for two boundaries. But Arshdeep struck back in the fourth over as Frylinck miscued a knuckle ball to deep mid-wicket. Louren Steenkamp carved Arshdeep for two boundaries and a six slashed over the short third, as Namibia ended Power-play at 57/1.

After Namibia milked 10 runs from Jasprit Bumrah’s opening over, Varun Chakaravarthy turned the game in the eighth over – his first ball was a googly that castled Steenkamp for 29. Loftie-Eaton and Erasmus tried to rebuild, but Varun’s accuracy kept them quiet.

Though Axar Patel was greeted with back-to-back slog-sweeping sixes from Gerhard Erasmus in the ninth over, Varun returned to dismantle Namibia further – having Loftie-Eaton hole out to long-off, while castling JJ Smit with another googly.

Axar joined the wicket-taker charts when Erasmus holed out to long-off and then had Malan Kruger top-edging a sweep to short fine leg, who managed to hang on to the ball at the last moment. Bumrah, who came in for Mohammed Siraj, nailed a yorker on the base of off-stump to castle Ruben Trumpelmann, while Hardik bagged two scalps and Shivam Dube had Zane Green dismissed via hit wicket to help India get their tenth consecutive win in the T20 World Cups.

Brief scores:

India 209/9 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 61, Hardik Pandya 52; Gerhard Erasmus 4-20) beat Namibia 116 all out in 18.2 overs (Louren Steenkamp 29, Jan Frylinck 22; Varun Chakaravarthy 3-7, Axar Patel 2-20) by 93 runs

–IANS

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