India vs Namibia Cricket Timeline: Complete Head-to-Head Record, Match Results and Stats (2003–2026)
The India national cricket team vs Namibia national cricket team timeline spans three World Cup encounters across 23 years-one ODI and two T20Is. India have won all three matches, with victories by 181 runs (2003), 9 wickets (2021), and 93 runs (2026). Every meeting has taken place at an ICC World Cup event, making this one of the most World Cup-specific rivalries in cricket history.
Table of Contents
- Head-to-Head Summary
- By-Format Records
- Stats Snapshot
- Match 1-2003 ODI World Cup
- Match 2-2021 T20 World Cup
- Match 3-2026 T20 World Cup
- Aggregate Statistical Leaders
- Partnership Records
- Venue List
- Namibia’s Performance Progression
- FAQ
India vs Namibia Head-to-Head Summary
India and Namibia have played three international cricket matches between 2003 and 2026. India lead the head-to-head record 3–0, having won one ODI and two T20Is. Their biggest victory margin came by 181 runs in the 2003 ICC World Cup at Pietermaritzburg. The India national cricket team vs namibia national cricket team timeline covers three separate ICC World Cup editions-2003 in South Africa, 2021 in the UAE, and 2026 in India. No bilateral series has ever been played between the two nations. Every match has been a knockout-context or group-stage encounter on the biggest stage in cricket.
| Year | Tournament | Format | Result |
| 2003 | ICC World Cup, Pietermaritzburg | ODI | India won by 181 runs |
| 2021 | ICC T20 World Cup, Dubai | T20I | India won by 9 wickets |
| 2026 | ICC T20 World Cup, Delhi | T20I | India won by 93 runs |
By-Format Records
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Across all formats, India holds a 3–0 advantage over Namibia. In ODIs, India lead 1–0. In T20Is, India lead 2–0. This format breakdown matters because the two T20I encounters tell a very different story about Namibia’s development compared to the 2003 ODI. While the 2003 result was a heavy defeat by a superior Test-playing nation, Namibia’s T20I performances-particularly in 2026-reflect a team that has built genuine white-ball competitiveness within the Associate cricket structure.
| Format | Matches | India Wins | Namibia Wins |
| ODI | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| T20I | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 3 | 0 |
India vs Namibia Stats Snapshot
India’s highest team total against Namibia is 311/2, scored in the 2003 ODI World Cup. Namibia’s highest score against India is 132/8, set in the 2021 T20 World Cup. The best bowling figures in this head-to-head match belong to Varun Chakravarthy-4/7-and Gerhard Erasmus-4/20-both in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
| Metric | India | Namibia |
| Matches played | 3 | 3 |
| Wins | 3 | 0 |
| Highest team total | 311/2 (2003 ODI) | 132/8 (2021 T20I) |
| Lowest team total | 209/9 (2026 T20I) | 116 (2026 T20I) |
| Best win margin (runs) | 181 runs (2003) | — |
| Best win margin (wickets) | 9 wickets (2021) | — |
Match 1-ICC World Cup 2003: India Won by 181 Runs
India scored 311/2 in 50 overs and dismissed Namibia for 130 in 42.3 overs to win by 181 runs on February 23, 2003, at City Oval, Pietermaritzburg. Sachin Tendulkar scored 152 off 151 balls and was named Player of the Match. This was the only ODI ever played between these two nations and remains the opening chapter of the india national cricket team vs namibia national cricket team timeline. It was also Namibia’s first-ever World Cup match-a historic milestone for Associate cricket in sub-Saharan Africa.
India Innings: 311/2 in 50 Overs
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
| V. Sehwag | c Keulder b van Vuuren | 24 | 24 | 4 | 0 |
| S.R. Tendulkar | b van Vuuren | 152 | 151 | 18 | 0 |
| S.C. Ganguly (c) | Not out | 112 | 119 | 6 | 4 |
| Yuvraj Singh | Not out | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Tendulkar and Ganguly added 244 runs for the second wicket-one of the highest partnerships in ODI World Cup history for any wicket-after Sehwag was dismissed for 24 in the 6th over.
Namibia Innings: 130 All Out in 42.3 Overs
| Bowler | Figures |
| Yuvraj Singh | 4/6 |
| Zaheer Khan | 2 wickets |
| Harbhajan Singh | 2 wickets |
| Dinesh Mongia | 2 wickets |
Player of the Match: Sachin Tendulkar (152 off 151 balls)
Turning Point and Context
The key turning point was Tendulkar’s counter-attacking 152, which converted a modest start into an unreachable total. Namibia bowled well enough to take Sehwag cheaply, but had no answer to the Tendulkar–Ganguly partnership. By the 35th over, India had already crossed 200. Namibia’s chase never established momentum. What most people overlook: Namibia’s participation in the 2003 World Cup was itself a landmark. They were the first sub-Saharan Associate nation to qualify for the ODI World Cup in the modern era. They lost all six group matches but absorbed lessons that shaped their T20 development over the next two decades.
Match 2-ICC T20 World Cup 2021: India Won by 9 Wickets
India dismissed Namibia for 132/8 and chased the target in 15.2 overs, winning by 9 wickets with 28 balls remaining. Ravindra Jadeja took 3/16 and was named Player of the Match. Rohit Sharma scored 56 off 37 balls and KL Rahul made 54* off 36 balls. The 2021 encounter added the second entry in the india national cricket team vs namibia national cricket team timeline. It was played in Dubai on November 8, 2021, as the final Super 12 group match for both sides-both teams had already been eliminated from semi-final contention.
Namibia Innings: 132/8 in 20 Overs
| Batter | Runs | Balls |
| David Wiese | 26 | — |
| Stephan Baard | 21 | — |
| Bowler | Figures |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 3/16 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 3/20 |
Jadeja and Ashwin combined for 6/36 on a slow Dubai surface-the most effective bowling partnership in any India vs Namibia match.
India Innings: 136/1 in 15.2 Overs
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
| Rohit Sharma | 56 | 37 | 7 | 2 |
| KL Rahul | 54* | 36 | — | — |
Rohit and KL Rahul added 86 runs for the first wicket before Rohit fell to Jan Frylinck. Their partnership was their third consecutive fifty-plus opening stand in that tournament.
Player of the Match: Ravindra Jadeja (3/16)
Turning Point and Context
The match was effectively settled by Jadeja and Ashwin’s combined 6/36, which restricted Namibia to 132 before Rohit and Rahul made the chase look straightforward. This was also Virat Kohli’s last match as India’s T20I captain-an era-ending moment that drew more attention than the match itself. Rohit Sharma completed 3,000 T20I runs during the chase, becoming only the third batter in history to reach that milestone at the time. Most treat this as a straightforward win over weak opposition. Namibia’s 132/8 on a slow Dubai pitch-against Jadeja and Ashwin at the peak of their T20I powers-was a respectable total. Their qualification for the Super 12 stage in 2021 by beating the Netherlands and Ireland was Namibia’s single greatest achievement in T20 World Cup history up to that point.
Match 3-ICC T20 World Cup 2026: India Won by 93 Runs
India scored 209/9 and dismissed Namibia for 116 to win by 93 runs on February 12, 2026, at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. Ishan Kishan scored 61 off 24 balls and Hardik Pandya made 52 off 28 balls. Varun Chakravarthy took 4/7 as India recorded their largest win by runs in T20 World Cup history. The third and most recent chapter of the india national cricket team vs namibia national cricket team timeline was played on home soil-at a sold-out Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi. Namibia won the toss and elected to bowl, backing their attack on a pitch expected to assist seam early.
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India Innings: 209/9 in 20 Overs
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Sanju Samson (wk) | 22 | 8 | — | — | — |
| Ishan Kishan | 61 | 24 | 6 | 5 | 254.17 |
| Hardik Pandya | 52 | 28 | 4 | 4 | — |
| Bowler | Figures |
| Gerhard Erasmus | 4/20 |
India’s powerplay score of 86/1 after 6 overs was their highest powerplay total in T20 World Cup history. Kishan and Samson added 79 runs for the first wicket off just 31 balls, before Kishan was dismissed in the 7th over having reached his fifty in 20 balls.
Namibia Innings: 116 All Out in 18.2 Overs
| Batter | Runs | Balls |
| Louren Steenkamp | 29 | 20 |
| Bowler | Figures |
| Varun Chakravarthy | 4/7 |
| Hardik Pandya | 2/20 |
Player of the Match: Official records had not confirmed the award at publication time.
Turning Point and Context
The defining moment was India’s powerplay-86/1 in 6 overs-which set a target beyond Namibia’s realistic ceiling. Varun Chakravarthy’s 4/7 then dismantled the chase before it could be built. Erasmus’s 4/20 against the world’s top-ranked T20I side, on Indian soil, at a World Cup was a performance of genuine quality. India lost 9 wickets in this innings-more than in either previous encounter against Namibia. Without Kishan’s 61 off 24, India’s total would have been significantly lower and the match would have had a tighter second half. Sanju Samson made his T20 World Cup debut in this match at 31 years and 93 days, becoming one of the oldest Indians to make their T20 World Cup debut. India climbed to the top of Group A with an NRR of +3.050, ahead of Pakistan. This match was also India’s largest win by runs in T20 World Cup history.
Aggregate Statistical Leaders
Sachin Tendulkar leads all India vs Namibia run-scorers with 152 runs in a single innings. Yuvraj Singh and Varun Chakravarthy both lead India’s wicket-takers with 4 wickets each. Gerhard Erasmus leads Namibia’s all-time wicket-takers in this head-to-head with 4/20.
Leading Run Scorers-All India vs Namibia Matches
| Rank | Player | Team | Matches | Runs | Highest |
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 1 | 152 | 152 |
| 2 | Sourav Ganguly | India | 1 | 112* | 112* |
| 3 | Ishan Kishan | India | 1 | 61 | 61 |
| 4 | Rohit Sharma | India | 2 | 56 | 56 |
| 5 | KL Rahul | India | 1 | 54* | 54* |
| 6 | Hardik Pandya | India | 1 | 52 | 52 |
| 7 | Louren Steenkamp | Namibia | 1 | 29 | 29 |
| 8 | David Wiese | Namibia | 1 | 26 | 26 |
Leading Wicket Takers-All India vs Namibia Matches
| Rank | Player | Team | Matches | Wickets | Best |
| 1 | Yuvraj Singh | India | 1 | 4 | 4/6 |
| 2 | Varun Chakravarthy | India | 1 | 4 | 4/7 |
| 3 | Gerhard Erasmus | Namibia | 1 | 4 | 4/20 |
| 4 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | 1 | 3 | 3/16 |
| 5 | Ravichandran Ashwin | India | 1 | 3 | 3/20 |
Partnership Records
The highest partnership in India vs Namibia matches is 244 runs, scored by Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly for the second wicket in the 2003 ODI World Cup.
| Wicket | Runs | Partners | Match | Venue |
| 2nd wicket (ODI) | 244 | Tendulkar & Ganguly | 2003 World Cup | Pietermaritzburg |
| 1st wicket (T20I) | 86 | Rohit & KL Rahul | 2021 T20 WC | Dubai |
| 1st wicket (T20I) | 79 | Kishan & Samson | 2026 T20 WC | Delhi |
The Tendulkar–Ganguly stand of 244 remains one of the highest partnerships in ODI World Cup history for any wicket.
Venue List-All India vs Namibia Matches
| Year | Venue | City | Country | Format |
| 2003 | City Oval, Pietermaritzburg | Pietermaritzburg | South Africa | ODI |
| 2021 | Dubai International Stadium | Dubai | UAE | T20I |
| 2026 | Arun Jaitley Stadium (Feroz Shah Kotla) | Delhi | India | T20I |
India have hosted Namibia in international cricket just once-the 2026 T20 World Cup match in Delhi. The other two matches were played on neutral grounds at overseas World Cup editions.
Namibia’s Performance Progression Across World Cups
Namibia’s performances across three World Cup encounters suggest measurable improvement in T20 competitiveness. Their batting totals have remained in a similar range (116–132), but their bowling evolved significantly-from conceding 311/2 in an ODI in 2003 to taking 4/20 against the world’s top-ranked T20 side in 2026.
| Edition | Format | Namibia Score | Namibia Best Bowling vs India |
| 2003 ODI WC | ODI | 130 all out | van Vuuren 2/45 |
| 2021 T20 WC | T20I | 132/8 | Jan Frylinck 1/19 |
| 2026 T20 WC | T20I | 116 all out | Gerhard Erasmus 4/20 |
Why Namibia Keeps Qualifying
Namibia’s continued presence at T20 World Cups is not accidental. Since gaining ICC associate member status, they have built a structured domestic cricket system drawing from players with franchise T20 experience globally-including David Wiese (who played IPL and Big Bash) and Gerhard Erasmus, their long-serving captain. Their qualification for the 2021 Super 12 stage-by defeating the Netherlands and Ireland in qualifying-was the single greatest achievement in Namibia’s T20 World Cup history. The india national cricket team vs namibia national cricket team timeline is, in one sense, a story of Indian dominance. But read from the other side, it is a record of consistent Associate cricket growth across two decades.
FAQs:
Q1. How many times have India and Namibia played in international cricket?
A1. India and Namibia have played three times in international cricket-in the 2003 ODI World Cup, the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, and the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. India have won all three matches.
Q2. What is India’s head-to-head record against Namibia?
A2. India lead the head-to-head 3–0 across all formats, with wins by 181 runs (2003), 9 wickets (2021), and 93 runs (2026). Namibia have not won a single match against India in international cricket.
Q3. Who has scored the most runs for India against Namibia?
A3. Sachin Tendulkar holds the record with 152 runs scored off 151 balls in the 2003 ODI World Cup at Pietermaritzburg-the highest individual score in any India vs Namibia match. Sourav Ganguly added an unbeaten 112 in the same innings.
Q4. Who has taken the most wickets in India vs Namibia matches?
A4. Yuvraj Singh (4/6 in 2003) and Varun Chakravarthy (4/7 in 2026) lead India’s wicket-takers with four wickets each. Gerhard Erasmus holds the record for Namibia with 4/20 in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Q5. Has Namibia ever beaten India in cricket?
A5. No. Namibia have never beaten India in any international match. India hold a perfect 3–0 record across all formats.
Q6. What is the highest team total in India vs Namibia cricket history?
A6. India scored 311/2 in 50 overs in the 2003 ODI World Cup at Pietermaritzburg-the highest team total in any India vs Namibia match. Tendulkar’s 152 and Ganguly’s 112* powered that innings.
Q7. What happened in India vs Namibia at the 2026 T20 World Cup?
A7. India won by 93 runs at Delhi. Ishan Kishan scored 61 off 24 balls and Hardik Pandya added 52 off 28 to post 209/9. Namibia were bowled out for 116, with Varun Chakravarthy taking 4/7. It was India’s biggest win by runs in T20 World Cup history.
Q8. Who was Player of the Match in each India vs Namibia game?
A8. 2003-Sachin Tendulkar (152 off 151 balls), 2021-Ravindra Jadeja (3/16), 2026-Official records had not confirmed the award at publication time.
Q9. What was India’s highest powerplay score in T20 World Cup history?
A9. 86/1 in 6 overs against Namibia on February 12, 2026, at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi-built on Ishan Kishan’s 61 off 24 balls and his 79-run opening stand with Sanju Samson off just 31 balls.
Q10. When was the last time India played Namibia in international cricket?
A10. The most recent match in the india national cricket team vs namibia national cricket team timeline was on February 12, 2026, at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Delhi. India won by 93 runs, recording their largest margin of victory by runs in T20 World Cup history.
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