USA skipper Monank lauds team for showing character

USA captain Monank Patel hailed his charges for bouncing back from two consecutive defeats after it defeated Namibia in Chennai on Sunday (February 15, 2026).

“If you see our schedule, the first two games were very tough and whenever you play the best two teams in the group, it always gets tough,” said Monank.

“You are always under pressure when you are losing and you don’t get the start. I thought every player in our team showed character, and we played as a team, so credit to each and every one.”

He also hailed the Chennai crowd for its support, saying, “I think the crowd was brilliant. In the last two games they have been very supportive. They came in numbers and supported us and the energy was fantastic.”

Meanwhile, Namibia coach Craig Williams attributed the 31-run defeat to losing wickets at the wrong times. “Unfortunately, just like the previous game, we lost wickets at critical parts of our run chase. That just put us on the back foot again,” Williams said.

Williams also explained the decision to retire Zane Green as a tactical one. “Ruben has had some success hitting the ball at the back end for us, so it was just a tactical decision to and get him in.”