USA vs Namibia Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: USA clinch 31-run victory over Namibia

We are all set for the chase to begin. The umpires are back out in the middle and so are the players of USA. It will be the duo of Louren Steenkamp and Jan Frylinck to open the innings for Namibia. Ali Khan will start proceedings with the ball for USA. Let's go...

... The Run Chase ...

Ali Khan to Louren Steenkamp, FOUR! BOOM! That's some way to start. A gentle loosener from Ali Khan, but Louren Steenkamp is ready. Gets a long hop and pulls it over mid-wicket with disdain, to start the run chase in style!

Tough task ahead - Namibia are already on the brink of being knocked out of the competition and that bowling display hasn't done them any favors. The pacers were ordinary in the Powerplay and conceded too many boundaries. The spinners then came in and did a decent job, especially Willem Myburgh, who got the first two wickets and led the fightback for Namibia. However, the lack of control shown at the death and the inability to keep a check on the boundaries mean that Namibia will need to bat out of their skins to get the win. Can USA defend 199 runs and stake a huge claim for the Super 8 stage? Or will Namibia pull off a heist and send USA packing? Let us find out together as the run chase is coming up next.

Going from strength to strength - USA have backed their performance with the bat from the last match, where they scored 196 against Netherlands and have now scored 199 runs, their highest total in a T20 World Cup ever. Skipper Monank Patel set the tone early on and the likes of Shayan Jahangir and Saiteja Mukkamalla did well to get off to starts as well. Patel was the one who struck a half century before the innings started to go downhill for a few overs. In the end, Sanjay Krishnamurthi hit as many as 6 sixes in his fiery knock of 68 off just 33 balls and took his side on the brink of the 200-run mark.

USA flex their might with the bat - USA have ended one short of the 200-run mark but this is a fine effort from Monank Patel and co. Namibia will feel they could have done better with the ball at the top end and bottom end of the innings and will now have to chase down 200 runs for the win.

Gerhard Erasmus to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, A dot ball to finish! What an anticlimax. Outside off, low trajectory, Krishnamurthi gets across to cut but cannot lay bat on ball. USA FINISH ON 199/4! 

Gerhard Erasmus to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, FOUR! Second boundary of the over and USA REACH THEIR HIGHEST SCORE IN T20 WORLD CUPS! Short, outside off, Sanjay Krishnamurthi goes back and cuts it to the right of short third for the second boundary of the over! The previous highest score for the States was 197/3 against Canada in Dallas, in the 2024 edition.

Gerhard Erasmus to Shubham Ranjane, Outside off, punched down to long off for a run.

Gerhard Erasmus to Shubham Ranjane, FOUR! No wasting time! Short, around middle and off, Shubham Ranjane shifts his body weight back and pulls it between deep mid-wicket and long on, splitting both!

4 balls left. USA's leading run scorer of this edition, Shubham Ranjane, walks in next, at number 6, replacing Milind Kumar.

Gerhard Erasmus to Milind Kumar, OUT! CAUGHT! 87 is usually an unlucky number for Australia, but it has worked for Namibia on this occasion as they break the mammoth 87-run stand. Tossed up, around off, Milind Kumar steps out and looks to go down the ground, but is not to the pitch of the ball. Miscues it towards long off where JJ Smit makes no mistake. Decent hand by Milind comes to an end and USA ARE 190/4 AFTER 19.2 OVERS!

Gerhard Erasmus to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Bowled wide outside off, from around the wicket, with a round arm, Sanjay Krishnamurthi gets across and pulls it towards long on for a single.

Final over time. Will Eramus take a gamble again and bowl himself? Yes sir!

Ruben Trumpelmann to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, A much better over from Ruben Trumpelmann as he comes true on the trust of his skipper to bowl the 19th over. Very full, around off, SK gets across but can only hit it down to long on for another single. An off day for Trumpelmann, as he finishes with bowling figures of 4-0-52-0!

Ruben Trumpelmann to Milind Kumar, Very full, around middle and leg, Milind hits it towards mid off for one.

Ruben Trumpelmann to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Square leg is pushed back and fine leg called in for this ball now. Trumpelmann bowls a full toss well outside off and Sanjay can only hit it towards deep cover for a run.

Ruben Trumpelmann to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, FOUR! UP AND OVER! Short and wide outside off, Sanjay Krishnamurthi throws his bat at it and gets a thick outside edge, which flies over short third for a boundary! The stand moves to 83 (41) while Krishnamurthi is now on 61 (28).

Ruben Trumpelmann to Milind Kumar, Very full, around middle, Kumar backs away to the leg side and manages to get it to the left of the bowler through mid on for a single.

Ruben Trumpelmann to Milind Kumar, A rare dot ball. On middle and leg, no room to work with, pushed back to the bowler.

Ruben Trumpelmann to Milind Kumar, WIDE. A bouncer, on middle and leg, Milind Kumar looks to pull but misses. Wided for height.

Excellent over from the captain. Stops the bleeding a touch with a 5-run 18th over. Who bowls the 19th though? Gamble. Ruben Trumpelmann has been trusted once more. 3-0-43-0 so far.

Gerhard Erasmus to Milind Kumar, Full and wide outside off, Milind Kumar reaches out and hits it to sweeper cover for just a single.

Gerhard Erasmus to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Landed outside off, slapped to wide long off for another single.

Gerhard Erasmus to Milind Kumar, Full, outside off, Milind Kumar gets down on a knee and looks to go for the slog, but gets it off the bottom part of the bat through mid-wicket, for one.

Gerhard Erasmus to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Outside off, flayed through the covers for a run.

Gerhard Erasmus to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Delivered with a round arm, low-arm trajectory, Sanjay Krishnamurthi looks to cut but is beaten as the ball does not bounce much.

Gerhard Erasmus to Milind Kumar, Gerhard Erasmus takes the ball in his hand again. 1-0-12-1 so far. On middle, pushed down to long on for a single.

Ruben Trumpelmann to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Full and outside off, angling away, SK reaches out to slap but misses. 26 from the over, 59 in the last 3!

Ruben Trumpelmann to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, SIX MORE! HALF CENTURY FOR KRISHNAMURTHI! In just 23 balls. Very full, outside off, Sanjay Krishnamurthi gets underneath the ball again and creams it over cover! Raises his bat to the crowd and soaks in the applause. 26 from the over already and there is still a ball left.

Ruben Trumpelmann to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, NO BALL AND SIX! The wheels are coming off for Namibia now. A high full toss, well outside off, Krishnamurthi reaches out and slaps it well over point! Free Hit coming up as well!

Ruben Trumpelmann to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, SIX! BLUDGEONED! Full and straight, Sanjay Krishnamurthi gets under the ball and swings it cleanly back over the bowler and beyond the sightscreen!

Ruben Trumpelmann to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, FOUR! Nicely done. Outside off, Krishnamurthi throws his bat at it. Gets a thick outside edge behind. Dylan Leicher gets across to his left from backward point in the deep, tries hard but cannot stop the boundary.

Ruben Trumpelmann to Milind Kumar, On middle, worked through mid-wicket for a run.

Another delay. The umpires are waiting for a clarification on who will be on strike? Because everyone thought it was a dead ball assuming that the catch was taken. Eventually, the third umpire has confirmed that Milind will be on strike, with a single being awarded.

Fantastic catch by the skipper, but does he have control over the ball? This has been referred upstairs for a fair catch. Oh dear. Krishnamurthi can continue batting.

Ruben Trumpelmann to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, DROPPED! My word. From ecstacy, to agony. On a length, outside off, Krishnamurthi looked to swing it wide of long off. Could not quite find the gap but found Gerhard Erasmus at wide long off. Actually, the Namibian skipper came in a bit too early and had to trot back. Managed to get the ball but while rolling over, his elbow hit the ground and from the front-on angle, it seemed as if he had spilled it. However, he got up and started to celebrate, claiming the catch. The umpires did not want to take anyone's word apart from their colleague's and referred it upstairs. Good decision, as the replay shows the ball bouncing onto the ground before being clasped by Erasmus again! What a let off.

Ruben Trumpelmann to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, WIDE. Full and too wide outside off, Sanjay Krishnamurthi leaves it alone. 150 UP FOR USA! 24 balls left. Is 200 on?

We will have a bowling change from this end as Scholtz has bowled out. Ruben Trumpelmann is back on. 2-0-17-0 so far.

JJ Smit to Milind Kumar, SIX! Two boundary balls and that's all it takes to make it a double-digit over. Dug in short, around off, pace off, Milind Kumar quickly gets across his stumps, waits for the ball and pulls it way over fine leg! 13 from the over, 33 in the last 2!

JJ Smit to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Does get it right this time, does Smit, bringing the stumps in play and SK works it to deep square leg for one, taking the partnership to 40 (25).

JJ Smit to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, FOUR! Lot of protection on the off side, but still, Sanjay Krishnamurthi finds the gap!  A low full toss, around off, Sanjay comes forward and threads it between cover and sweeper cover for a boundary! Moves to 31 (17).

JJ Smit to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, A bouncer, around off, angling away, pace off, Krishnamurthy looks to play the ramp, the upper cut over the keeper, but misses.

JJ Smit to Milind Kumar, A bit too straight, Milind Kumar turns it behind square leg for a run.

JJ Smit to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Full, around middle, angling away, Sanjay Krishnamurthi pushes this through the covers for a single.

5 overs left. JJ Smit returns to bowl one of those. 2-0-30-0 so far.

Bernard Scholtz to Milind Kumar, FOUR! 20 FROM THE OVER! USA find their voice back. Short again, around off, Kumar hammers this straight back over the bowler for a boundary down the ground! Totally spoils Scholtz' figures as he ends with bowling figures of 4-0-35-0!

Bernard Scholtz to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, On middle, punched down to long on for a single.

Bernard Scholtz to Sanjay Krishnamurthi, SIX MORE! Carbon copy of the previous ball. Short again, outside off, Krishnamurthi goes back and pulls it into the crowd again, at mid-wicket!