Kishan, 27, had stepped away from international cricket citing mental fatigue during the 2023 tour of South Africa. Since his comeback in the T20I series against New Zealand, he has hit two fifties and a century in six matches, cementing his place back in India’s first-choice XI.
Against Namibia, Kishan dominated the Powerplay. Following a quick 22 off 8 balls from Sanju Samson, Kishan took charge, smashing four consecutive sixes and a boundary off JJ Smit in the final over of the Powerplay to reach a 20-ball half-century. India reached 100 in just 6.5 overs—the fastest team hundred in T20 World Cup history—and 86/1 in six overs, their third-highest T20I Powerplay total.
“I’m a changed man now,” Kishan said. “I don’t get into it too much. I do enjoy jokes and everything, I still do it. But earlier, I used to do it 24×7. Now, it’s only a few hours a day. More time and energy has been spent concentrating on my batting and wicketkeeping.”
Despite his explosive batting, Kishan emphasized the method behind his aggression. “I do take singles as well. I defend the good balls. I don’t know if I have put in a lot of work in changing my style. I keep it simple. Rather than rushing and getting excited and playing those shots, which I already had, I stay calm and try to play the ball. Sometimes, in international cricket, you get overexcited trying to play those shots. I’ve just tried to cut those moments out,” he added.
India eventually posted 209/9, with Hardik Pandya contributing 52 and Shivam Dube adding valuable runs at the end. Namibia were bundled out for 116, giving India a commanding 93-run win.
