ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Pakistan outclass Namibia to book last Super Eight berth

By M. Shamil Amit

Pakistan outclassed the hapless Namibia by 102 runs in a Group A and 35th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup tournament played at the SSC ground yesterday. Namibia chasing a formidable run chase of 200 runs was nowhere as they succumbed to spin pair Usman Tariq and Shadab Khan and were able to muster a score of only 97 runs.

The win saw Pakistan book the last berth of the Super Eight and will now join co-host Sri Lanka, England and New Zealand to contest for the semi final berth among the four teams while defending champions India along with South Africa, West Indies and Zimbabwe being the other four teams that will contesting for the two semim finals in this group.

Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub gave Pakistan a sedate start after skipper Salman Agha winning the toss and electing to take first lease of the wicket. The pair added 40 runs in 31 balls before being separated with the dismissal of Ayub.

But it was Farhan who steadied the innings for Pakistan as he made an unbeaten 100 which took him just 57 balls that included 11 boundaries and four sixes and associated in two other valuable partnerships of 67 runs for the second wicket with skipper Salman Agha and an unbroken 81 runs stand for the fourth wicket with Shadab Khan to help Pakistan end their innings with an imposing score of 199 for 3.

Result:

At SSC – Pakistan won by 102 runs

Pakistan: 199 for 3 in 20 overs (S. Agha 38, S. Farhan 100 n.o., S. Khan 36 n.o.: Jack Brassell 2/48)

Namibia: 97 in 17.3 overs (L. Steenkamp 23, A. Volshchenk 20: U. Tariq 4/16, S. Khan 3/19)