Pakistan defeats Namibia by 45 runs and becomes the first team to advance to the semi-finals of the Men’s T20 World Cup.
Pakistan, led by opener Mohammad Rizwan’s unbeaten 79, hammered 130 in the final 10 overs to post an impressive 189-2 total. As Pakistan accelerated in Abu Dhabi, Mohammad Hafeez blasted 32 off 16 balls and Rizwan shared a 113-run stand with Babar Azam.
Namibia put together a few solid partnerships but only managed 144-5 from their 20 overs.
At the midway point of the innings, Pakistan was just 59-0 before Rizwan and Babar, who both struck 70, began to hit more freely.
With four wins from four games, Babar’s team leads Group 2, with New Zealand, Afghanistan, and India competing for second place. On Sunday, Pakistan will play against Scotland in their last group game, while Namibia, who are currently out, plays New Zealand on Friday.
Pakistan winning runs
Pakistan has a habit of getting off to fast starts in tournaments, but Rizwan and Babar had to take it slowly and adjust to a slower surface. Despite appealing lbw dismissal on two, Rizwan struggled, and after 10 overs, he had only scored 16 off 25 balls. During the drinks break, the two batsmen discussed strategy before Babar smashed two fours in the next over, which cost 12 runs.
After blasting the opening six of the innings over long-on, Rizwan and Babar seemed to find their stride, with both striking the boundary at least once an over. Before Babar smashed the veteran David Wiese to deep mid-wicket, they became the first men’s T20I partnership to share five-century stands.
In the last over, Rizwan reached his half-century, smashing a huge six off Wiese to the delight of the spectators, who were vocal in their support for Pakistan.
The final over was a slam dunk. Rizwan struck three fours and one six off JJ Smit’s first five deliveries, before a scrambled two sent Pakistan to the tournament’s second-highest total.
With three fours and two sixes, Wiese, a T20 veteran who previously played for South Africa, injected some late-life into Namibia’s innings. After watching through Shaheen Shah Afridi’s final over, the two exchanged a heartfelt hug, signaling the finish of a game played in good spirits.
Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus said, “We knew from the start that Pakistan had high-quality players and they were the in-form team in the tournament and serious title contenders.”
Moreover, he said, “It doesn’t get any easier. New Zealand is a quality side, but we can take some great quality from this game. This exposure shows that we can play at this level.”
Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan said, “Our team is well gelled at the moment, and whatever we need, we’ve got all the boxes.” Additionally, he said, “We ask all our supporters to have faith in us. We will put our best effort in.”
“This is a major learning curve for Pakistan,” says ex-England spinner Alex Hartley on Test Match Special. Additionally, he said, “These are the kinds of experiences you want, like bowling with a wet ball at the end of a game.” Furthermore, he added, “Namibia has been really impressive today. They can keep their heads held high.”
