T20 World Cup: Sanjay Does It For USA
USA thus wrapped up their league campaign with back-to-back victories, while Namibia slumped to their third successive defeat
By : c. santhosh kumar
Update: 2026-02-15 13:06 GMT
Chennai: After Saiteja Mukkamalla’s heroics in the previous game, another Indian-origin youngster rose to the occasion for USA on Sunday. A clean and fearless striker of the ball, 22-year-old Sanjay Krishnamurthi with roots in Karnataka announced himself on the big stage with a sparkling maiden international half-century. His unbeaten 68 off just 33 deliveries, studded with six towering sixes, powered USA to their highest-ever total — 199 for 4 — in the T20 World Cup and sealed a 31-run victory over Namibia at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.
USA thus wrapped up their league campaign with back-to-back victories, while Namibia slumped to their third successive defeat. Namibia kept pace with the target till half-way mark. Opener Louren Steenkamp (58 off 39 balls) led the charge, but the chase derailed once Namibia lost three quick wickets. From 98 for 1, they slumped to 123 for four.
Earlier, if Sanjay supplied the late fireworks, it was skipper Monank Patel who laid the foundation with a commanding 52 off 30 balls. Fortune, however, favoured both batters. Monank was dropped on zero in the opening over and Sanjay received a reprieve on 32.
Monank unfurled a range of strokes, depositing the ball over midwicket, cover and long-on with disdain. A 19-run sixth over off left-arm seamer JJ Smit propelled USA to 65 in the powerplay. Namibia finally found relief when leg-spinner Willem Myburgh broke the 68-run opening stand, dismissing Shayan Jahangir for 22.
The Namibian spinners — Myburgh and Bernard Scholtz — applied the brakes effectively, conceding just two boundaries between them in a tight spell through the middle overs. Monank, who brought up his fifty in 27 balls, fell to Myburgh.
USA’s momentum wavered briefly when Saiteja departed for 17, leaving the side at 103 for three. However, Sanjay and Milind Kumar seized control. After a relatively quiet five-over phase, USA shifted gears. A 20-run 15th over off Scholtz reignited the charge as the total moved to 136 for three. The defining blow came in the 17th over, when Sanjay dismantled left-arm pacer Ruben Trumpelmann with three successive sixes — two lofted over long-off and one carved over deep point. The over yielded 26 runs and brought up Sanjay’s fifty in just 23 balls. USA plundered 63 runs in the final six overs.
Earlier, if Sanjay supplied the late fireworks, it was skipper Monank Patel who laid the foundation with a commanding 52 off 30 balls. Fortune, however, favoured both batters. Monank was dropped on zero in the opening over and Sanjay received a reprieve on 32.
Monank unfurled a range of strokes, depositing the ball over midwicket, cover and long-on with disdain. A 19-run sixth over off left-arm seamer JJ Smit propelled USA to 65 in the powerplay. Namibia finally found relief when leg-spinner Willem Myburgh broke the 68-run opening stand, dismissing Shayan Jahangir for 22.
The Namibian spinners — Myburgh and Bernard Scholtz — applied the brakes effectively, conceding just two boundaries between them in a tight spell through the middle overs. Monank, who brought up his fifty in 27 balls, fell to Myburgh.
USA’s momentum wavered briefly when Saiteja departed for 17, leaving the side at 103 for three. However, Sanjay and Milind Kumar seized control. After a relatively quiet five-over phase, USA shifted gears. A 20-run 15th over off Scholtz reignited the charge as the total moved to 136 for three. The defining blow came in the 17th over, when Sanjay dismantled left-arm pacer Ruben Trumpelmann with three successive sixes — two lofted over long-off and one carved over deep point. The over yielded 26 runs and brought up Sanjay’s fifty in just 23 balls. USA plundered 63 runs in the final six overs.