Pakistan national cricket team stormed into the Super 8 stage with a commanding 102-run victory over Namibia national cricket team at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo, on Wednesday.
Set 200 for victory in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Namibia were dismissed for 97 in 17.3 overs after Pakistan posted 199 for three. Sahibzada Farhan struck an unbeaten 100 from 58 balls, laced with 11 fours and four sixes. He became the second Pakistani batsman to register a century in T20 World Cup history after Ahmad Shehzad, who reached three figures against Bangladesh in 2014.
Farhan’s hundred was the third of the ongoing tournament, following centuries by Pathum Nissanka of Sri Lanka and Yuvraj Samraj of Canada.
After Pakistan elected to bat first, Farhan anchored the innings. Salman Agha contributed 38 from 23 deliveries, while Shadab Khan remained unbeaten on 36 off 22 balls as Pakistan closed on 199 for three in their allotted 20 overs.
In reply, Namibia faltered early and never recovered. Shadab Khan claimed three wickets for 19 runs, while Usman Tariq returned figures of four for 16 in 3.3 overs to seal a comprehensive result.
The victory secures Pakistan’s passage to the Super Eight stage in emphatic fashion.
TOSS
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat in their match against Namibia.
The Green Shirts made two changes to the XI, bringing in Salman Mirza and Khawaja Nafay in place of Shaheen Afridi and Abrar Ahmed. Namibia selected Jack Brassell for Max Heingo.
Pakistan XI: Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (capt), Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), 7 Khawaja Nafay, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Salman Mirza, 10 Naseem Shah, 11 Usman Tariq.
Namibia XI: Jan Frylinck, Louren Steenkamp, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (capt), Alexander Busing-Volschenk, JJ Smit, Zane Green (wk), Ruben Trumpelmann, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, Jack Brassell
