ICC T20 World Cup 2026 | Stumped by Erasmus, India brace for another unconventional spin threat against Pakistan

New Delhi: India were found wanting against the unorthodox spin variations of Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus, leaving them with work to do for another unconventional threat posed by Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq ahead of the marquee T20 World Cup clash in Colombo on Sunday.

Fundamentally, both Erasmus and Tariq bowl off-spin and mix it up with unusual variations.

Erasmus bowled quite a number of balls with a round arm action on Thursday night and a few deliveries from far behind the stumps too foxed the fancied home batters.

He ended with envious figures of four for 20 in fours overs despite India amassing 209 for nine on way to an emphatic win. Erasmus also operated in the unforgiving death overs and came out on top of the mighty Indian batters.

Tariq, on the other hand, makes an awkward pause before delivering the ball, so much so that the legality of his action has been questioned.

India expected flat wickets in the T20 World Cup but the surfaces in Mumbai and Delhi tested the batters. The strip in Colombo is traditionally known to be on the slower side, bringing spinners of both teams very much into the game.

Ishan Kishan was among the run getters for India against Namibia and after the win, he was asked if facing Erasmus was good preparation for playing Tariq and Co. on Sunday night.

"No, I think we have already done the preparation part and now it's just time to watch the ball and play our natural game. So, if the ball is there, as a batter, we just feel like going in because it's a T20 game.

"And we are trying to set a good total on board. But we do have to believe in our strength as well. There's nothing like you have to prepare. I think at this level, we just watch few videos and we get an idea of what kind of bowling is going to happen. So we're just keeping it simple," said Kishan.

However, Kishan did concede that someone bowling with an unconventional action may play on the batter's mind.

"Yeah, it might play in your head for a couple of balls, but I think at this level you need to have trust on your own strength as well. Even if he is trying to do something, we can go for sixes or boundaries at the same time.

"So, the important thing is how we are thinking at that point of time when the bowler is trying to do something different," said the in-form batter.

Erasmus troubled the Indian batters with his tricks but it was hardly a surprise for Namibia head coach Craig Williams who duly praised his captain.

"He trains incredibly hard at all these variations, and I think - he plays cricket around the world in some leagues and that's, and I think that he bowls all the difficult overs, he bowls some really tough overs.

"Tonight, again, against a world-class cricket team, he showed the world again what he's got and his execution was just really good tonight.

"His first three overs went for 16 or something like that and then to bowl that 19th over as all under pressure - first ball going for six and then pulling it back, was just really fantastic," added the coach.