India’s dismal campaign ends with 9-wicket win over Namibia

Dubai, November 8

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Virat Kohli ended his stint as India’s T20 captain on a winning note after his eliminated side beat Namibia by nine wickets in a T20 World Cup dead rubber today.

Kohli’s bid to lead the inaugural champions to their second T20 World Cup title was effectively over after the comprehensive defeats by Pakistan and New Zealand, both of whom reached the last-four from Group II.

The pre-tournament favourites won their last three matches but still crashed out of what was Kohli’s final tournament as India’s T20 captain.

Spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin split six wickets to restrict debutants Namibia to 132/8 after Kohli inserted Namibia.

Rohit Sharma (56) and KL Rahul (54 not out) smashed brisk fifties as India prevailed in the 16th over.

While India are yet to name who will succeed Kohli as the T20 captain, the 33-year-old suggested it would be his deputy Rohit.

“I think it’s time for the next lot to take this team forward. Obviously Rohit is here and he’s overlooking things for a while now,” Kohli said earlier at the toss.

It was also the last match for head coach Ravi Shastri, who will be succeeded by former Test stalwart Rahul Dravid in that role. — Reuters

Scoreboard

Namibia

S Baard lbw b Jadeja 21

M van Lingen c Shami b Bumrah 14

C Williams st Pant b Jadeja 0

G Erasmus c Pant b Ashwin 12

JN Loftie-Eaton c Sharma b Ashwin 5

D Wiese c Sharma b Bumrah 26

JJ Smit c Sharma b Jadeja 9

Z Green b Ashwin 0

J Frylinck not out 15

R Trumpelmann not out 13

Extras: (lb 8, nb 1, w 8) 17

Total: (8 wickets, 20 overs) 132

FOW: 1-33, 2-34, 3-39, 4-47, 5-72, 6-93, 7-94, 8-117

Bowling O M R W

Mohammed Shami 4 0 39 0

Jasprit Bumrah 4 0 19 2

Ravichandran Ashwin 4 0 20 3

Ravindra Jadeja 4 0 16 3

Rahul Chahar 4 0 30 0

India

KL Rahul not out 54

R Sharma c Green b Frylinck 56

S Yadav not out 25

Extras: (lb 1) 1

Total: (1 wicket, 15.2 overs) 136

FOW: 1-86

Bowling O M R W

Ruben Trumpelmann 3 0 26 0

David Wiese 2 0 18 0

Bernard Scholtz 1 0 11 0

JJ Smit 2 0 17 0

Jan Frylinck 2 0 19 1

Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton 4 0 31 0

Michael van Lingen 1.2 0 13 0