SHARJAH: New Zealand beat Namibia by 52 runs to make their case stronger for T20 World Cup 2021’s semi-finals qualification.
After setting Namibia to chase 164 runs in 20 overs, New Zealand suffered a bit of pressure as Namibia’s openers scored 47 runs in eight overs. But, the slow run-scoring pace boosted Black Caps’ confidence as they restricted opponents to 111-7 in the end.
Later on, New Zealand’s bowlers started taking wickets and Namibia’s kept on losing wickets after regular intervals. Stephan Baard (21), Michael van Lingen (25), and Zane Green (23) resisted a bit but failed to gain the rhythm.
Tim Southee and Trent Boult bagged two wickets each while Mitchell Santner, James Neesham, and Ish Sodhi managed a wicket each.
Earlier, Glenn Phillips and James Neesham partnered strongly to score 76 runs as New Zealand managed to score 163-4 against Namibia in a crucial match of Group 2.
Sent into bat first, New Zealand were off to a steady opening start of 30 runs but a couple of blows made them nervous. Martin Guptill fell after scoring 18 followed by his opening partner Daryl Mitchell getting out for 19 including two boundaries.
Skipper Kane Williamson played a calculated knock of 28 runs with the help of two boundaries and a six but didn’t manage to convert it into a big total. Phillips and Neesham joined hands to rescue their team collectively.
They scored an unbeaten 76-run partnership to set a composing total for the Black Caps. Phillips scored 39 off 21 balls laced with a boundary and three sixes followed by Neesham being not out for 35 off 23 with a boundary and two maximums.
Bernard Scholtz, David Wiese, and Gerhard Erasmus bagged a wicket each for Namibia.
TOSS
Namibia have won the toss and decided to bowl first against New Zealand
SQUADS
Namibia: SJ Baard, M van Lingen, CG Williams, MG Erasmus*, D Wiese, JJ Smit, JN Loftie-Eaton, ZE Green†, K Birkenstock, R Trumpelmann, BM Scholtz
New Zealand: MJ Guptill, DJ Mitchell, KS Williamson*, DP Conway†, GD Phillips, JDS Neesham, MJ Santner, AF Milne, TG Southee, IS Sodhi, TA Boult
