T20 World Cup 2026: Namibia Captain Gerhard Erasmus Questions Lack Of Night Training Ahead Of India Clash
Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus has raised concerns over the absence of night training sessions before his team’s crucial T20 World Cup 2026 encounter against India. The two sides are set to meet on Thursday (February 12) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi for their Group A fixture.
Erasmus expressed his displeasure at not being granted any practice sessions under floodlights, while India reportedly received two such opportunities. Despite this setback, the Namibian skipper remained determined to deliver a strong performance against the defending champions in their opening T20 World Cup 2026 campaign match. The two nations have previously met only once in T20 cricket during the 2021 T20 World Cup—where India secured a convincing 9-wicket victory.
Erasmus Questions Lack of Night Practice Session Before India Encounter
“We haven’t had a night training session before this game I’m not sure why. I believe India has had two night sessions. You can make of that what you want,” Erasmus stated during the press conference on the eve (February 11) of the Group A India fixture in T20 World Cup 2026. The Namibian captain highlighted the significance of such sessions for his squad, adding: “We don’t have floodlights back home in Namibia, so we don’t really play day-night or night games.”
Also Read: Jos Buttler’s 40-Storey Magic: How He Entered The Guinness Book Of Records
India’s Previous T20I Meeting with Namibia
The two teams have clashed just once in T20 Internationals, with that match taking place during the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai, UAE. India, led by Virat Kohli, won the toss and opted to bowl first. The Indian bowling attack justified the captain’s call by restricting Namibia to 132/8 in their allotted 20 overs. For India, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin claimed three wickets apiece while Bumrah contributed with a couple. For Namibia, David Wiese was the top scorer with 26 while opener Stephan Baard made 21.
In pursuit of a modest total on a batting-friendly surface, India cruised to victory by 9 wickets in only 15.2 overs. For India, openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma (56 off 37) stitched together an 86-run partnership before Suryakumar Yadav (25 not out off 19) and Rahul (unbeaten 54 off 36) completed the formalities.