New Zealand defeated Namibia in today’s (Friday’s) Group 2 game in Sharjah by 52 runs.
Full scorecard here
Match summary: New Zealand prove far too clinical for Namibia
Shyam A. Krishna, Senior Associate Editor
New Zealand coasted to a 52-run win over Nambia in Group 2 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Sharjah. The Kiwis put aside a patchy batting display to post 163/4 in 20 overs, and Namibia could only muster 111/7 in 20 overs.
Barring openers Michael van Lingen (23) and Stephan Baard (21), who added a slow 47 runs for the first wicket, none of the Namibian batsmen could get going.
Earlier, Namibia, who chose to field, restricted the Kiwis to 62/2 in 10 overs with tight lines in the middle overs. But Glenn Phillips (39 from 21 balls) and Jimmy Neesham (35 from 23 balls) overcame some initial nerves to take the match away from Namibia with an unbeaten 76-run stand.
New Zealand now soar to the second spot on the leaderboard with six points, and Namibia are in the fifth spot, one above Scotland.
New Zealand win by 52 runs
Namibia finish at 111/7 from 20 overs. The Kiwis climb to the second spot in Group 2 with six points.
OUT!
A super catch from Glenn Phillips to dismiss Craig Williams, off Boult. Just before that Nicol Loftie-Eaton went for a duck. Namibia are 106/7. 56 needed off the last over.
OUT!
One more wicket down for Namibia. Southee has Green caught down the field, and he comes away with impressive figures of 2-15 from four overs. Namibia are 103/5 in 18 overs.
Namibia are not even trying. Over 17 and there's no sense of urgency. A slow start and a clatter of wickets haven't helped. And they have now limped to 95/5 in 16.2 overs. A New Zealand win is a certainty.
OUT!
Fourth wicket down for Namibia. New Zealand seamer Southee traps Wiese in front. A quick check with Zane Green and Wiese decides against a review. The advantage of the previous over is lost with the fall of a wicket. 86/4 in 14.3 overs.
14 overs - Nam 85/3
Over 14 yielded 15 runs. Wiese and Green took a six each from Sodhi. Namibia are 85/3 in 14 overs. They are getting some momentum here.
Interesting incident. Wiese slams a six over Sodhi's head and the ball is thrown back to the field by a person outside the biobubble. The umpire had to sanitise it with a wipe before handing it to the bowler.
A scare and a dropped catch. David Wiese's ferocious drive slammed into bowler Sodhi's hands before hitting his head. Or it seemed, as he went down clutching his forehead. The mandatory concussion check over, and the game resumes 68/3 in 12 overs. Namibia need some big overs here. 96 needed from 48 balls.
10 overs - Nam 56/3
Namibia are at the halfway stage of their innings. 56/3, and they need to push on from here. For that, they need a solid partnership.
OUT!
Ish Sodhi comes to bowl the 10th over and strikes with the second ball. Erasmus edges to Conway behind the stumps. Namibia are 55/3 in 9.2 overs, and they are at risk of collapsing.
OUT!
Santner strikes, and Namibia lose their second wicket. Baard is bowled. If they are not careful, Namibia could lose a heap of wickets. And they can't afford to be cautious either as the required run rate is close to 10. A dilemma. 52/2 in 8.3 overs.
OUT!
Namibia lose their first wicket. Van Lingen's aggression comes to an end, as Neesham knocks back his middle stump. 47/1 in 7.2 overs.
6 overs - Nam 36/0
The shackles have come off. Van Lingen takes on Adam Milne. First a boundary threaded down the field, followed a straight six. 12 from the over. That's a positive approach from the Namibians. 36/0 in 6 overs. Powerplay over, and spin is in.
Namibia haven't lost wickets, but they have struggled to score boundaries. Finally, Baard picks one off Boult, over the short midwicket fielder. 24/0 in 5.1 overs
Slow going for Namibia. They haven't had any chance to score boundaries against Trent Boult and Adam Milne. 16/0 in 3.1 overs. New Zealand bowlers have kept it tight.
1 over - Nam 7/0
Quiet start for Nambia. Stephan Baard and Michael van Lingen are cautious against Tim Southee. 7/0 in 1 overs.
Midway summary: New Zealand post decent total after slow start
Shyam A. Krishna, Senior Associate Editor
New Zealand put aside a patchy batting display to post 163/4 in 20 overs against Namibia in a Group 2 game of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Namibia, who chose to field, restricted the Kiwis to 62/2 in 10 overs with some tight lines in the middle overs.
When they lost captain Kane Williamson and Devon Conway, New Zealand were in a spot of bother. But Glenn Phillips (39 from 21 balls) and Jimmy Neesham (35 from 23 balls) overcame some initial nerves to take the match away from Namibia with an unbeaten 76-run stand.
A target of 164 could be difficult against the good New Zealand attack.
20 overs - NZ 163/4 (Target 164)
Smit should know better. Neesham feasts on short balls. He sends one over square leg. Huge hit. But Smit hits back with slowers ones and a yorker. 18 from the over. New Zealand finish at 163/4 from 20 overs.
19 overs - NZ 145/4
Philips drags a Rumpelmann delivery to the square leg and follows up with a pulled six over the same boundary. 14 off the over. Good comeback from Rumpelmann after the first two balls went for boundaries. 145/4 in 19 overs
Challenge issued!
Namibia need a wicket here. Philips and Neesham have started to look dangerous. They could take the game away in an over or two. 135/4 in 18.1 overs
18 overs - NZ 131/4
The slog overs. New Zealand have turned up the heat. Phillips swung Wiese over the extra cover fence. And Neesham started to find his range, sending one into stands at long-on. 21 runs from the over. 131/4 in 18 overs
100 up for New Zealand
Glenn Philips brings up the New Zealand hundred with a six off captain Erasmus, whose bowling suddenly seemed to have lost shape. 13 runs from the over. 110/4 in 17 overs.
16 overs - NZ 97/4
Namibian fielding has been superb. Except for a tough dropped catch, they have been exceptional on the field, haring down and making boundary stops. 97/4 in 16 overs.
15 overs - NZ 91/4
A very tight over from Erasmus. Four runs in the 15th over. Good work indeed. Jimmy Neesham has struggled to put bat on ball so far. 91/4 in 15 overs
OUT!
New Zealand have lost their fourth wicket. A run out. Namibia have been piling the pressure and that showed in the run out of Devon Conway. A bad time to lose his wicket. New Zealand are in a spot of bother. 87/4 in 14 overs.
Namibia have done well so far. Haven't allowed New Zealand to take control. They have been bowling tight lines and never allowed the Kiwi batsmen to free their arms. But New Zealanders have been the scoreboard ticking, and a score of 150 looks possible. 86/3 in 13.5 overs
OUT!
Commentator's curse! Big wicket of Williamson. Inside edged on to the stumps. 81/3 and Namibia are back in the game.
12 overs - NZ 77/2
Williamson looks like he is in the mood today as he smashes a huge six then a lovely four. New Zealand get 15 off the over which has been their most productive for some time.
Let-off for New Zealand!
Williamson's drive hits the stumps at the other end and bowler Loftie-Eaton is millimetres away from getting a touch on the ball. If he did then Conway would have been out.
10 overs - NZ 62/2
Slow going for New Zealand as Williamson and Conway look to build a partnership. Sensible cricket. Because most games are won and lost in the middle overs. The Kiwis don't want to play into Namibia's hands. Namibia have more than held their own in this fixture. New Zealand are 62/2 in 10 overs. The halfway stage of their innings.
Breaking News: Australia cancels Afghanistan Test
Australia has postponed this month's men's Test match against Afghanistan in Hobart until the situation regarding women's cricket under the country's Taliban rule is made clear.
Ok, back to New Zealand vs Namibia.
8 overs - NZ 55/2
Devon Conway is the new kid on the New Zealand block. He's announced himself to the cricketing world with a double century and several big scores in the Test series against England. He's scored well in white-ball cricket too. But all of that has been in New Zealand. Here he's showing his class with some classical straight drives, one of which sped to the fence. 55/2 in 8 overs.
OUT!
Namibia have taken control with another wicket. Daryl Mitchell skied a shot of Scholtz, the left-arm spinner, and Van Lingen takes a well-judged catch. Bit of a wobble for New Zealand. They need to build a partnership here. 43/2 in 6.2 overs.
End of powerplay
A fine over from Rumpelmann. Conceded a boundary and just three singles. Namibia have not allowed the Kiwis to break free. Runs have been coming slowly. 43/1 at the end of the powerplay. Not too bad for New Zeland.
OUT!
That dropped catch wasn't costly. Namibia get their man. First New Zealand wicket down. Guptill (18) slammed Wiese straight to Rumpelmann. 30/1 in 4.1 overs.
4 overs - NZ 30/0
A super effort from Craig Williams at short extra cover. Guptill slashed hard at JJ Smit. The ball fell off a diving Williams' hand. That was the lone scare in the over, as Daryl Mitchell struck a boundary. 30/0 in 4 overs
3 overs - NZ 21/0
A good over from David Wiese. Just 8 off it. That too in the powerplay. New Zealand openers aren't taking too many risks. 21/0 in 3 overs
2 overs - NZ 13/0
Martin Guptill is nearing his best. Shots from the middle of the bat, racing to the boundary. He was one time seen as a successor to Martin Crowe. Never fulfilled his promise. Even today, when he gets going, there's no stopping Guptill. 13/0 in 2 overs
1 over - NZ 9/0
Guptill resumes from where he left off against Scotland, getting into the six-hitting act. New Zealand are 9/0 after one over.
Here we go!
Martin Guptill will open the batting for New Zealand alongside Daryl Mitchell. Bernard Scholtz gets the first over for Namibia.
It is getting very interesting in Group 2 following India's big win over second-placed Afghanistan on Wednesday. That revived their semi-final chances and has put pressure on third-placed New Zealand. The Kiwis cannot afford any slip ups today.
The Teams
Two changes for Namibia. Jan Frylinck is out because of dehydration. Shikongo is out as well. Birkenstock and Scholtz are in. New Zealand are unchanged from their win against Scotland on Wednesday.
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson(c), Devon Conway(wk), Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult.
Namibia: Stephan Baard, Michael van Lingen, Craig Williams, Gerhard Erasmus(c), David Wiese, JJ Smit, Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Zane Green(wk), Karl Birkenstock, Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz.
Namibia win toss and elect to field
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of New Zealand vs Namibia from Group 2. Namibia have won the toss and have decided to field first.
Williamson’s Kiwis aiming to push run rate against Namibia
Shyam A. Krishna, Senior Associate Editor
New Zealand and Namibia have contrasting priorities in the Group 2 fixture at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium today (Friday). Kane Williamson’s Kiwis suffered a loss against Pakistan, but they have revived their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign with wins over India and Scotland. They will be looking to push the run rate as they seek a win against Namibia.
A win against Namibia is not a certainty, although cricketing logic points to that. The Namibians are living a dream with the best weeks in their short cricket history. Nobody expects them to beat New Zealand, and that lack of pressure should help Namibia punch above their weight. That’s what New Zealand have to be wary of.
