Chennai: Riding on captain Monank Patel and Sanjay Krishnamurthi’s half-centuries, the USA posted a mammoth total of 199/4 in 20 overs against Namibia in their last Group A match of the T20 World Cup 2026 here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.
Coming to bat after winning the toss, the USA were off to a great start as both the openers, Monank Patel and Shayan Jahangir, looked in great touch and forged a 68-run opening partnership as the USA were 65 for no loss at the end of the powerplay.
Namibia finally got the breakthrough in the seventh over when Shayan was sent to the pavilion by Willem Myburgh, who is playing his first match in the ongoing tournament. Shayan scored 22 runs off 18 balls and hit two fours and a six during his innings.
Despite losing his opening partner, skipper Monank continued the attack as he completed his first fifty in the T20 World Cup 2026 in 27 balls. Monank also became the first USA batter to score 1000 runs in T20I.
When the USA were 88-1 at the halfway mark, Namibia made a comeback with two wickets in the next two overs, with captain Monank departing after scoring 52 runs off 30 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes, and Saiteja Mukkamalla got caught at long on, scoring 17 runs off 18 balls.
After back-to-back blows, Milind Kumar and Sanjay stabilised the innings with a dominant 87-run partnership, which took away the momentum from the opposition.
Sanjay completed his fifty in just 23 balls with a six in the 17th over and remained unbeaten at 68 runs off just 33 balls. He hammered four boundaries and six sixes during his innings, while Milind got out in the last over after scoring 28 runs off just 20 balls.
Willem Myburgh and Captain Gerhard Erasmus were the most successful bowlers for Namibia, as both took two wickets each.
Brief Scores: USA 199/4 in 20 overs (Sanjay Krishnamurthi 68*, Monank Patel 52, Milind Kumar 28; Willem Myburgh 2-22, Gerhard Erasmus 2-27) against Namibia
(IANS)
