IND vs NAM, T20 World Cup 2026: Sanju Samson included in India starting XI against Namibia

Sanju Samson was included in India’s playing eleven against Namibia during their T20 World Cup 2026 Group A match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday.

The Kerala batter replaced Abhishek Sharma in the team, who was ruled out due to a bout of illness. That Samson was going to take the field against Namibia was evident from his prolonged net sessions in the lead-up to the contest.

This was Samson’s first World Cup appearance across the last two editions. He was part of the squad of the 2024 World Cup-winning team but did not play a single game.

He was expected to slot in as India’s first-choice opener for this World Cup, but a slew of middling performances ahead of the tournament saw Ishan Kishan overtake him.

In T20Is since 2025, Samson has accumulated just 268 runs at an average of 16. A strong outing on Thursday might bring him back in the reckoning for spot through this World Cup.

Published on Feb 12, 2026