T20 World Cup 2021 Afghanistan vs Namibia: Who won today's match?
Afghanistan came up with a commanding performance to end Namibia's dream run in the T20 World Cup 2021, claiming victory in match 27 by 62 runs.
Batting first after winning the toss in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, Afghanistan notched up 160-5. Naveen-ul-Haq (3-26) and Hamid Hassan (3-9) then scythed through Namibia's batting as the chasing side crawled to 98-9 in their allotted twenty overs.
There were high expectations from Namibia after their impressive performances in recent games, but Afghanistan proved too strong for them on the day.
Afghanistan get back to winning ways in style 🙌
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Defending a total of 160, Afghanistan reduced Namibia to 29-3 in the powerplay. Craig Williams (1) was dismissed in the first over, miscuing a hoick from Naveen-ul-Haq to mid-on.
The Afghanistan pacer claimed his second wicket in his second over when Michael van Lingen (11) was foxed by a slower ball and gave a catch to square leg. Things exacerbated for Namibia when Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (14) 's slog off Gulbadin Naib ended with his stumps getting disturbed. Naib completed a wicket maiden as Afghanistan ended their powerplay in dominant fashion.
Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus got a life early in his innings. He chipped Karim Janat straight to cover, where Rahmanullah Gurbaz caught the ball, but immediately dropped it. That reminded of Herschelle Gibbs's drop off Steve Waugh at the 1999 World Cup, only that the stakes weren't as high this time.
Zane Green (1), though, paid the price for getting too cheeky against Rashid Khan. Green attempted a paddle sweep off the leg-spinner's first ball, only to get cleaned up. Namibia stumbled to 55-4 at the halfway stage, and didn't look to be in the chase.
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What a return to international cricket for Hamid Hassan 💪
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Erasmus' innings ended on 12 when he was cleaned up by a brilliant yorker from Hamid Hassan. JJ Smit (0) fell in the same over, gloving a simple catch to the wicketkeeper. Naveen-ul-Haq had his third of the game when Jan Frylinck (6) gifted a simple catch to mid-off.
Amid the procession, the experienced David Wiese tried to bring a semblance of respectability to the Namibian total. He was the ninth wicket to fall, though, cleaned up for 26 by another terrific yorker from Hassan.
The victory marked a memorable farewell for Afghanistan's veteran batter and former captain Asghar Afghan.
Afghanistan post a competitive total of 160-5, batting first
Afghanistan came up with a good batting effort to reach 160-5 after winning the toss against Namibia.
Although no batter scored a half-century, there were good contributions all around. Openers Mohammad Shahzad (45) and Hazratullah Zazai (33) added 53 for the opening wicket. Asghar Afghan then contributed 31 in his last match for his country. Captain Mohammad Nabi then put the finishing touches on the Afghanistan innings with an unbeaten 32 off 17.
The perfect start for Afghanistan 👊
They have gone unblemished in the Powerplay, with the score at 50/0.
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Ruben Trumpelmann, who took three wickets in the first over against Scotland, was hit for a four and a six by Hazratullah Zazai.
The opening stand was dominated by Zazai, with Shahzad hardly getting any strike in the first five overs. Shahzad got into attack mode in the last over before the powerplay. He slammed David Wiese for a four past midwicket before slashing a six to third man, which just eluded the fielder. Afghanistan reached exactly 50 after six overs.
JJ Smit got the first breakthrough for Namibia when Zazai holed out to deep square leg. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (4) was then trapped lbw by Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton.
Shahzad upped the ante, finding a few more boundaries. He perished five short of a half-century, though, when he top-edged a ramp off Trumpelmann. Asghar looked to enjoy himself in his final international innings. In the 15th over of the innings, he smacked Jan Frylinck for a six over long-on. He then scored two fours off Smit in the 17th over, which went for 16 runs.
Asghar Afghan's final knock comes to an end on 31.
Trumpelmann gets the wicket as the Namibian players congratulate him on a brilliant career.
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Asghar fell in the penultimate over, his attempted scoop off Trumpelmann ending in the hands of backward point. Earlier in the over, captain Nabi clobbered a six over deep midwicket before guiding a yorker between backward point and short third man for four. Nabi managed two more fours off the last over bowled by Wiese to take the team's total to 160.
Afghanistan vs Namibia: Who won Player of the Match in today's T20 World Cup 2021 match?
There were solid contributions from Afghanistan when they batted. Shahzad top-scored with 45, while Zazai contributed 33. The retiring Afghan signed off with a handy 31, while captain Nabi provided the finishing touches to the innings with an unbeaten 32 off 17.
Like in the batting department, the Afghan bowlers also came up with a good team effort. Hassan (3/9) outclassed the Namibia batters with his superb yorkers, while Naveen-ul-Haq impressed yet again with figures of 3 for 26, claiming key scalps at the top.
For Namibia, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton's spell of 2 for 21 in four overs was the only performance of note. Eventually, it was Naveen-ul-Haq who was named the Player of the Match for his excellent bowling effort on the day.