Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 7: Indian wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan was in devastating form as he smashed a rapid half-century during India’s T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up match against South Africa on Wednesday.
The left-hander hammered 53 runs off just 20 balls, striking two fours and seven sixes, before being retired out. His explosive knock has significantly strengthened his case for selection, especially with Sanju Samson enduring a poor run of form, and has all but sealed Kishan’s spot in India’s playing XI for the World Cup opener against the USA.
Speaking after the match, Kishan said he was keen to open the innings against South Africa, despite batting at No. 3 in recent games, adding that he is comfortable batting at any position for the team.
“I was really excited for Wednesday. I wanted to open the innings. Batting at number three, I enjoyed that situation, but with the World Cup coming up, no matter what position I bat in, my focus is always on doing my best for the team,” Kishan said.
He added that his approach was to stay in the present and react to the ball rather than overthinking. “I’m just watching the ball and playing the shots that are required at that point in time, and that seems to be working well for me,” he said.
Kishan also credited the pitch for his fluent batting, saying it offered good bounce and carry. “Some days you feel really good, some days you don’t. On this particular day, the pitch was tremendous to bat on. With the World Cup so close, it’s important to back yourself if the ball is there and go for it,” he noted.
Praising teammate Tilak Varma, Kishan said India needed a batter at No. 3 who could rotate the strike and keep the momentum going. “He’s very important to us. He’s not just a batsman anymore; he gives us a few overs, is a very good fielder, and the way he’s batting these days, he adds a lot of balance to the side,” he said.
Reflecting on the team’s overall performance, Kishan said there was always scope for improvement but felt the bowlers had done a solid job on a challenging wicket. “We didn’t give away too many sixes. Overall, it was a good bowling effort, though we’ll sit down and discuss how we can improve further,” he added.