Irfan Pathan praised Indian all-rounder Axar Patel for his strong performance against Namibia during the T20 World Cup 2026 match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on February 12.
Despite getting out for a golden duck and conceding two sixes in his first over, the 32-year-old came back powerfully, finishing with figures of 2/20 after bowled three overs, including a wicket-maiden.
Pathan highlighted Axar’s ability to bounce back after challenges, noting that promoting him in the batting order could benefit the Indian team.
“A major positive is Axar Patel. He often goes unnoticed as a bowler. In this match, he went for 14 runs in the first over, including two sixes. However, he made an excellent comeback, taking two wickets by the end of his spell. His mindset, combined with skill, is what you want in a player, and he has that. I also see potential in him with the bat, so moving Axar up the order could be helpful,” Pathan stated in a video on his YouTube channel.
Pathan also noted that Varun Chakaravarthy’s performance was a standout positive for India in their 93-run victory over Namibia. The mystery spinner bowled just two overs, allowing only seven runs while taking three wickets, significantly disrupting Namibia’s momentum as they chased a target of 210 runs.
“It was a solid win with both positive and negative takeaways. Varun Chakaravarthy is arguably the biggest positive. He offers a lot for the World Cup. Namibia was chasing 210 and scored 57 runs in the powerplay. It was a decent start, but it changed quickly,” Pathan explained.
“Chakaravarthy took a wicket with his first delivery and, in just two overs, gave away very few runs while taking three wickets. For an associate nation, it’s tough to read his spin or solve his mystery. Namibia struggled, and the turn from the wicket troubled them,” he added.
