Published: Feb 12, 2026, 10:14 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 12, 2026, 10:14 PM (IST)
India’s wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan continued his red-hot form with a breathtaking half-century against Namibia in their Group A clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, on Thursday. Ishan smashed a fiery 61 off just 24 balls, studded with six fours and five sixes, powering India to a strong position in the T20 World Cup 2026 match.
The aggressive knock not only set the tone for India’s innings but also saw him equal a special record held by Rohit Sharma.
Ishan Kishan turned the game on its head in one over bowled by Namibia’s JJ Smit. After missing the first ball, he launched an astonishing assault – hammering four consecutive sixes on the next four deliveries, followed by a boundary. The over went for 28 runs with four sixes and one four, showcasing Ishan’s fearless power-hitting and putting Namibia under immediate pressure.
With this innings, Ishan Kishan equalled Rohit Sharma’s notable achievement in T20 internationals. He became only the second Indian batter (after Rohit) to score two half-centuries in the powerplay in T20Is. The record for most powerplay fifties for India is held by Abhishek Sharma (three times), followed by Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan (two each), KL Rahul (one), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (one).
This was also Ishan’s second powerplay fifty in T20 World Cup history, joining an elite list:
Ishan completed his fifty off just 20 balls, making it the fifth-fastest half-century by an Indian in T20 World Cup history. The list of India’s quickest World Cup fifties (by balls faced) now reads:
Coming in as a replacement for the ill Abhishek Sharma, Ishan made the most of the opportunity with a destructive powerplay display. His high strike rate and ability to dominate the new ball have once again highlighted his value in India’s explosive top order.
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