Afghanistan (160/5) defeat Namibia (98/9) by 62 runs in the Super-12 game in the ICC T20 World Cup

[MenInG]

START TIME

10:00 AM GMT, 2:00 PM LOCAL

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Squads:

Afghanistan Squad: Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad(w), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Asghar Afghan, Karim Janat, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad, Hamid Hassan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Usman Ghani

Namibia Squad: Craig Williams, Michael van Lingen, Zane Green(w), Gerhard Erasmus(c), David Wiese, JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, Pikky Ya France, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz, Karl Birkenstock, Ben Shikongo, Michau du Preez, Stephan Baard


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[Mobashir]

I would like to see Namibia make a surprise here and win this match.

 

[MenInG]

After their historic Super 12 victory over Scotland, Namibia face an Afghanistan side looking to bounce back after defeat to Pakistan.

In the first ever T20I meeting between the two sides, Namibia are ready to face a spin examination, with Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman hitting the ground running in early Group 2 action.

Following a crushing victory over Scotland to begin their T20 World Cup campaign, Afghanistan were overrun by Pakistan, toppled by a late-over blitz by Asif Ali.

In the aftermath of the defeat, the experienced Asghar Afghan called time on his international career, and will make way at the conclusion of tonight’s match.

Namibia’s middle order have shown an aptitude against spin in their campaign, though it’s fair to say that this may be their toughest test yet. Led by Rashid Khan, the fastest player to 100 T20I wickets, Afghanistan will show no mercy with their attack, as Mujeeb and Mohammad Nabi provide little respite.

For Namibia, their attack will ask new questions of an Afghan batting line-up, with no less than four left-arm bowling options. Alongside Ruben Trumpelmann, the Player of the Match in their win over Scotland, JJ Smit and Jan Frylinck provide pace options, with the left-arm orthodox of Bernard Scholtz the spin threat on Gerhard Erasmus’ side.

Fixture Details

The Match: Afghanistan v Namibia
Time: 14:00 Sunday 31 October
Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi

The Teams
Afghanistan are unlikely to make wholesale changes even after their defeat, though the big question is if Asghar Afghan will get the chance to bow out after his retirement.

Afghanistan Possible XI: Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Asghar Afghan, Karim Janat, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (c), Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Namibia’s top order may shuffle against Afghanistan, with only one quick in Naveen-Ul-Haq likely. With match-ups in mind, a right-hand/left-hand combination of Craig Williams and Michael van Lingen may be preferred, though ‘keeper Zane Green may also be entrusted at the top.

Possible Namibia XI: Craig Williams, Michael van Lingen, Gerhard Erasmus (c), David Wiese, JJ Smit, Zane Green, Jan Frylinck, Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Ruben Trumpelmann, Pikky Ya France, Bernard Scholtz

Key Players

Rashid Khan

Unsurprisingly, Rashid Khan poses the biggest threat to their Namibian opposition.

The fastest to 100 T20I wickets by matches played, the leg-spinner is yet to be properly countered by anyone across the world, and may chime in with some late hitting at the back end of Afghanistan’s innings.

Gerhard Erasmus

Underlined by back-to-back boundaries against Sri Lanka star Wanindu Hasaranga in the First Round among solid innings throughout the tournament, Erasmus is arguably the best player of spin in the Namibian outfit.

A key through the middle overs for the Eagles, Erasmus may find himself involved early should the attack get the better of his teammates above him in the order, forced to rebuild through a mix of touch and power.

Ladder Situation

After a defeat to Pakistan, Afghanistan will feel this is a must-win to keep in touch with semi-final spots. Namibia, while strong winners over Scotland to begin their Super 12 campaign, will be targeting this match-up as one they'll need to win, given the strength across the group.

What they said

Namibia's Craig Williams on preparation against Afghanistan’s spin attack: “We've put in extreme amounts of analysis into the opposition and we've worked on individual game plans.

“So I think sitting where we are now tonight, we're in a really good place. Anything could happen in T20 cricket, we know that.”

Naveen-ul-Haq, pointing to the second semi-final spot as a three-way race between India, New Zealand and Afghanistan: “There are three teams that will be fighting for that spot because India has played one and lost one. And New Zealand has played one and lost one.

“I think the table is right open.”

 

[MenInG]

Afghanistan have won the toss and have opted to bat

Namibia (Playing XI): Craig Williams, Michael van Lingen, Zane Green(w), Gerhard Erasmus(c), David Wiese, JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, Pikky Ya France, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad(w), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Najibullah Zadran, Asghar Afghan, Mohammad Nabi(c), Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Hamid Hassan, Naveen-ul-Haq

 

[Artaxerxes]

Mujeeb is not playing.I believe he is not fit.If Afghans put up a big score then they won’t miss him.

 

[MenInG]

AFG 89/3 (12.4) CRR: 7.03
Afghanistan opt to bat

Expected better from Afghans but anything about 130-140 will be near impossible for Nam

 

[MenInG]

27th Match, Super 12 Group 2 • ICC Mens T20 WC 2021

AFG 148/4 (18.5)

NAM

Afghanistan opt to bat

 

[sweep_shot]

Afghanistan should win this. Their spinners should be too much for Namibia.

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia - 16/2 after 2.4 overs (target: 161).

 

[sweep_shot]

No Mujeeb today. Yet, Namibia are struggling.

Namibia - 29/3 after 6 overs (target: 161).

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia - 36/3 after 7 overs (target: 161).

One dropped catch. It was easy.

 

[Charmander]

AFghan should try to close this out asap. they still have a shot at semis and only way they make it is with NRR

 

[sweep_shot]

Rashid strikes with his first ball.

36/4.

 

[sweep_shot]

AFghan should try to close this out asap. they still have a shot at semis and only way they make it is with NRR

That's right. But, they already have a great NRR thanks to their 130-run win against Scotland.

If New Zealand beat India today, Afghans may go to semi-final by beating New Zealand.

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia - 39/4 after 8 overs (target: 161).

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia - 49/4 after 9 overs (target: 161).

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia - 56/5 after 10.3 overs (target: 161).

Namibia lose their 5th wicket.

 

[sweep_shot]

Another wicket.

56/6.

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia - 58/6 after 12 overs (target: 161).

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia - 62/6 after 13 overs (target: 161).

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia - 65/6 after 14 overs (target: 161).

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia lose another wicket.

69/7.

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia - 73/7 after 15 overs (target: 161).

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia - 78/8 after 16 overs (target: 161).

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia lose their 9th wicket.

80/9.

 

[sweep_shot]

Hamid's bowling figure today: 4-0-9-3.

 

[Charmander]

That's right. But, they already have a great NRR thanks to their 130-run win against Scotland.

If New Zealand beat India today, Afghans may go to semi-final by beating New Zealand.

I have a feeling Afghans will beat India, after India beats NZ today. One of Afg or India will go through, but not NZ

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia - 85/9 after 18 overs (target: 161).

 

[Charmander]

are they really struggling to get the last wicket lol

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia - 94/9 after 19 overs (target: 161).

 

[sweep_shot]

are they really struggling to get the last wicket lol

Their main bowlers have bowled out their overs.

 

[sweep_shot]

Can Namibia cross 100?

They need 4 runs in 3 balls to cross 100.

 

[sweep_shot]

Namibia couldn't cross 100.

Namibia - 98/9 after 20 overs (target: 161).

Afghanistan win by 62 runs.

 

[Charmander]

Solid victory for Afghans. It may just come down to which of Ind and NZ beats up on Namibia the best

 

[Asif321]

Afghanistan need to believe they can make it to semis .

 

[sharmaji]

Highlights of the Match:

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[sharmaji]

Afghanistan got their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 campaign back on track with a thumping 62-run victory over Namibia.

Mohammad Nabi’s side went against the grain and chose to bat first in Abu Dhabi, posting 160 for five from their 20 overs with opener Mohammad Shahzad making 45.

Namibia never looked like chasing it down, losing wickets at regular intervals and ending 98 for nine.

For Afghanistan, it was a resounding response to their narrow defeat to Pakistan as they stayed second in Group 2.

Taking first use of the Sheikh Zayed surface, Afghanistan’s openers looked to target the left-arm seam of Ruben Trumpelmann that did such damage to Scotland in Namibia’s four-wicket win.

The fifth ball of the game was an overpitched delivery that Hazratullah Zazai climbed into and lifted over long-on for six.

Trumpelmann was taken out of the attack, returning in the fourth over, but the dynamic was the same as Hazratullah took him for two well-placed fours through the gully region.

Southpaw Hazratullah was at his ebullient best and smoked Jan Frylinck over the midwicket fence for six.

His partner Shahzad took longer to hit his straps but did so in the final over of the powerplay, swiping David Wiese through midwicket for four and then flaying him over third man for six.

When fielding restrictions were lifted, Afghanistan were 50 without loss.

JJ Smit’s nagging left-armers looked most threatening for Namibia and he broke the opening stand when Hazratullah picked out deep square leg, departing for 33 from 27 balls.

Skipper Gerhard Erasmus turned to the wildcard leg-spin of Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, whose first over went for two and ended with a ball that ripped past Shahzad’s outside edge.

The 21-year-old accounted for Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the tenth, trapping him in front for four at 69 for two.

Shahzad was still there and continued to pepper the midwicket boundary, before top edging a catch to Bernard Scholtz and heading back for a pivotal 45.

Asghar Afghan came to the crease and struck the ball well in his final T20I innings, despite losing his first partner Najibullah Zadran LBW to Loftie-Eaton.

He got down on one knee to smash Fylinck over long off for six and helped take a Smit over for 16 runs with two boundaries behind square.

Nabi, Asghar’s successor as Afghanistan’s T20 captain, offered his usual flurry at the finish with an excellent cameo of 32 from 17 balls, with five fours and a six off Trumpelmann.

Namibia’s chase faltered at the first when Craig Williams skied the fourth ball of the innings, bowled by Naveen-ul-Haq, comfortably caught by Usman Ghani.

Nabi fared well with the bat but less so with the ball at first as he was dispatched by Michael van Lingen for six over long-on and then by Loftie-Eaton through the arc for another maximum.

Namibia expected a trial by spin but it was Naveen’s seam that hurt them up front when Van Lingen fell for a clever slower ball and was caught at square leg for 11 at 16 for two.

And Gulbadin Naib’s medium pace dismissed Loftie-Eaton as he tried to swipe a cutter across the line only to be clean bowled.

The re-introduction of spin did the trick when Rashid Khan bowled Zane Green when he attempted a paddle sweep to the wrong ball, making it 36 for four.

Namibia could not build any kind of partnerships and lost two wickets in four balls when Hamid Hassan yorked Erasmus for 12 and then got Smith to snick behind for a duck at 56 for six.

Wiese and Frylinck stemmed the tide for a few overs without being able to score at a prolific rate, the latter trudging off after looping Naveen to Nabi at mid-off.

Another tame dismissal came as Pikky Ya France offered a simple return catch for Gulbadin but Wiese got a good one as he was bowled by a full Hassan delivery for 26.

Scores in Brief:

Afghanistan beat Namibia by 62 runs at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Afghanistan 160/5 in 20 overs (Mohammad Shahzad 45, Hazratullah Zazai 33; Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton 2/21, Ruben Trumpelmann 2/34)
Namibia 98/9 in 20 overs (David Wiese 26, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton 14; Hamid Hassan 3/9, Naveen-ul-Haq 3/26)
Player of the Match: Naveen-ul-Haq (Afghanistan)

 

[sharmaji]

It was seam, not spin, that proved Namibia’s undoing against Afghanistan. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 never fails to surprise.

The World Cup debutants were told to expect a trial by twirl in Abu Dhabi and reassured the world pre-match that they had comprehensively prepared for the challenge.

“We’re extremely confident against spin,” Craig Williams insisted, on the back of confident performances against the slow bowling of Scotland and Sri Lanka in the first round.

That confidence would only have been stoked by the absence of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who had the best economy rate and average of any bowler at the tournament, in the Afghan line-up.

Mujeeb took the opening over against Pakistan, and Mohammad Nabi against Scotland. This time, pace was on the ball in the shape of Naveen-ul-Haq, who struggled a little last time out.

Naveen is not a man to be underestimated. He has been playing for Afghanistan in various guises since the age of 11, and spent his early years seeking refuge in Pakistan.

He was the leading wicket-taker in the English T20 Blast over the summer with 26 victims at 17.57, working closely with mentor Ian Pont to take his game to the next level.

Naveen found a lovely full length and movement in the air with his fourth ball, forcing Craig Williams to mistime and sky a catch to mid-on, giving his side a dream start.

Namibia weren’t lying - they played spin well early on as Michael van Lingen unexpectedly hit Nabi for six over long-on against the turn.

Naveen struck again in the following over, artfully varying his pace when he saw Van Lingen charge down the pitch, inducing a false stroke and having him caught at square leg.

In a total switch of the script, Nabi disappeared again a few balls later when Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, promoted to No.3, sent him flying over the straight fence.

Gulbadin Naib hadn’t bowled in either of Afghanistan’s first two games but it was the team’s former 50-over captain who was given the crucial sixth over, the last in the powerplay.

He followed his team-mate’s lead, taking pace off the ball and getting Loftie-Eaton to swipe across the line and lose the top of his leg stump.

That ended Namibia’s hopes of chasing the target of 161 but the richness of seam wasn’t done there.

Hamid Hassan bowled superbly in the middle overs and opposing batters didn’t have an answer to his fast, well-disguised yorker and variations in length.

He finished with outstanding figures of 3-9 from four overs, including 16 dot balls.

Naveen would account for Robbie Frylinck and Gulbadin took another as they ended with 3-26 and 2-19 respectively in an outstanding bowling display.

It was essential that Afghanistan responded to their emotional defeat to Pakistan with a confident victory, and that’s exactly what they did in beating Namibia by 62 runs.

All of their key batters have now spent compelling time at the crease and their openers were typically destructive.

Hazratullah Zazai did the early damage while Mohammad Shahzad took time to settle at the crease, a fearsome formula that delivered another half-century stand for Nabi’s side.

The game marked the end of an era for Afghan cricket as Asghar Afghan played his final match for his country after a decade’s distinguished service.

His story has been the story of the rise of Afghanistan itself, an ever-present in all seven of the ICC major events they have played in.

In his last post-match press conference, he intimated the reason for his decision was to give young players around him a chance to take centre stage.

With Naveen joined by Karim Janat and Rahmanullah Gurbaz in a new crop of talent - led, of course, by Rashid Khan and Mujeeb - the future is bright for this band of history-makers.