Namibia vs New Zealand Prediction: Who will win today's T20 World Cup 2021 match?
Namibia have never played New Zealand in international cricket before, but Gerhard Erasmus' men are no strangers to foraying into unchartered waters. Namibia have exceeded expectations in the T20 World Cup thus far, making the Super 12 stage with a pair of gutsy victories before beating Scotland to put two points on the board.
The Eagles' true test will come in their final two Super 12 games as they take on New Zealand and India, who are two of the best sides going around in international cricket. The Blackcaps are first up, with the encounter scheduled to take place on Friday, November 5 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
New Zealand's victory over Scotland wasn't as convincing as they'd have liked, but they have a healthy net run rate advantage over India. Nevertheless, the Kiwis will hope that it doesn't come down to net run rate, with wins in each of their two remaining games enough to guarantee them a semi-finals spot.
View the T20 World Cup 2021 time table here.
T20 World Cup 2021: New Zealand will be wary of upset against "dangerous" Namibia
On the eve of the match, New Zealand left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner was asked about the trickiness of a game against an opposition like Namibia. He was quick to talk up the team, labeling them "dangerous" and stating that the Blackcaps need to be wary of an "upset around the corner."
An upset is exactly what Namibia will be after, and they arguably have the tools to pull off the same. Ruben Trumpelmann has been extremely penetrative in the powerplay, and with the Kiwis known to be slightly top-heavy, he could have a massive impact on the game by picking up the early wicket of Martin Guptill.
Guptill smashed an attacking 93 in New Zealand's previous T20 World Cup game, losing four kilograms in the sapping UAE heat. Apart from him, skipper Kane Williamson, star batter Devon Conway and successful opener Daryl Mitchell will be keen to contribute.
Namibia haven't looked too assured against quality bowling attacks, although Erasmus, David Wiese and to some extent Craig Williams have done well at various stages of the tournament. They will be cautious of leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, who has picked up wickets by a handful in the T20 World Cup so far.
The plethora of bowling options at Namibia's disposal might work in their favor against a new opposition in New Zealand, especially if the Eagles have the fortune of winning the toss. They might consider bringing back left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz, who was left out for an extra pacer in Ben Shikongo for the previous game.
Namibia are certainly not incapable of defying the odds against New Zealand, with the fight they showed against Pakistan still fresh in memory. But while Erasmus' men are a solid, spirited outfit, the Blackcaps are riding a wave of momentum with two wins on the trot. Several Kiwi players are due a match-winning performance, and their grounded attitude will serve them well against Namibia.
Group 2 of the T20 World Cup might come down to the final day of the Super 12 stage, but for now, New Zealand should continue on their path to the semi-finals.
Prediction: New Zealand to win Match 36 of the T20 World Cup