An excellent team efficiency helped Namibia register a shocking 55-run upset victory over Sri Lanka of their T20 World Cup conflict in Geelong on Sunday.
Big hitting from Jan Frylinck (44) and JJ Smit (31*) helped Namibia overcome a shaky begin to register 163/7 and that proved an excessive amount of for Sri Lanka because the Asia Cup champions had been all out for 108 in reply.
Bernard Scholtz (2/18), David Wiese (2/16), Ben Shikongo (2/22) and Player of the Match Frylinck (2/26) all picked up two wickets apiece as Sri Lanka’s world-class batting line-up failed to fireside on the large stage.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka (29) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (20) supplied some temporary hope through the center overs after they placed on 34 for the fifth wicket, however the final six wickets fell for simply 34 runs because the parochial Sri Lanka crowd at Kardinia Park was left disenchanted.
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Namibia get better from shaky begin
Earlier Namibia misplaced three wickets contained in the Powerplay to be decreased to 43/3, earlier than their skilled middle-order fought again arduous to swing the ascendancy again their means.
Star spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (1/27) bowled properly through the center overs for Sri Lanka, however Frylinck and Smit received on high late to propel Namibia to a useful rating on a difficult batting pitch.
Sri Lanka have 48 hours to lick their wounds and get better forward of their second match on the match towards the UAE in Geelong on Tuesday.
It shall be a must-win encounter for the reigning Asia Cup champions, with a second consecutive loss prone to depart them down the barrel of a shock exit within the First Round.
Conversely, Namibia will get the prospect to e-book a Super 12 berth after they tackle the Netherlands on Tuesday afternoon, additionally in Geelong.
Teams
Sri Lanka XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Maheesh Theekshana
Namibia XI: Divan la Cock, Michael van Lingen, Stephan Baard, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (c), Jan Frylinck, JJ Smit, David Wiese, Zane Green (wk), Bernard Scholtz, Ben Shikongo
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