16 Oct 2022 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Thank you for joining our live blog for this opening game of this year's T20 World Cup.
Do join us again on Tuesday afternoon as Sri Lanka face off against the UAE in what is now most likely a must-win match.
It's a quick turnaround for Sri Lanka before their next game versus the the UAE.
As they did in the Asia Cup they would need to recover very quickly from this opening disappointment.
So many heroes in Namibia's victory today.
First it was Frylinck and Smit with their late salvo that took Namibia all the way to 163.
Then it was the bowlers who were all extremely disciplined with Shikongo, Frylinck, Wiese, Smit and Scholtz all contributing.
It was Shikongo's double-wicket maiden in the 4th over of the chase that really had Namibia believing and swung things firmly in their favour.
Their fielding too was exemplary and never let Sri Lanka break free.
Frylinck takes home the Man of the Match award for his 44 off 28, followed by 2 for 26. A performance he will remember for a long long time.
Namibia win by 55 runs!
Elation for Namibia who have pulled off an amazing victory and caused a colossal upset in the very first game of this T20 World Cup.
What a moment in their cricketing history!
And on the other hand, Sri Lanka would be reeling from this jolt. All out for 108 in game one of the tournament, making their games against the Netherlands and the UAE must-win encounters
Sri Lanka 97 for 9 in 17 overs (Target 164)
The match is pretty much decided but Sri Lanka would be aware that Net Run Rate could come into play later in the week and would be hoping for at least 10-15 more runs to narrow the margin of defeat.
Ninth wicket falls!
Karunaratne was Sri Lanka's last hope but he too hands a catch to the Namibian outfielders.
JJ Smit roars in celebration and Namibia are on the verge of history!
C Karunaratne c Baard b Smit 5(8)
SL 93 for 9 in 15.2 overs
Madushan run out for a duck
It only gets worse for Sri Lanka as they sink to 88 for 8.
Chamika Karunaratne remains but hauling down 164 looks nigh on impossible with only number 10 and 11 for company
Namibia have dismissed the captain!
Shanaka tries to break free and sends the ball a mile into the air.
It's another excellent catch, this time by Green.
Frynlick takes the big fish and Namibia are on the verge of a famous win!
D Shanaka c Green b Frylinck 29(23)
Another one falls!
Hasaranga goes for a slog sweep and Loftie-Eaton in the deep takes a superb catch under high pressure.
Sri Lanka are in all sorts of trouble now and down to their last recognised pair of batsmen. Shanaka and Karunaratne will need to play a gem.
W Hasaranga c Loftie-Eaton b Scholtz 4(8)
SL 83/6 in 13 overs. (Target: 164)
Rajapaksa holes out
A good partnership had been developing but the return of Bernard Scholtz to the bowling crease brings a wicket.
Rajapaksa attempted to make use of the favorable matchup and take on the left-arm spinner, however failed to make the required connection to take it over the ropes.
B Rajapaksa c La Cock b Scholtz 20(21)
Sri Lanka 75/5 in 11 overs.
89 required off the last 9 overs.
SL need 104 in 66 balls with 6 wickets in hand.
Shanaka and Rajapaksa are settling in but the required run rate has risen beyond 9 an over. Very key passage of play coming up. Sri Lanka will need this partnership to continue while Nambia would want to nip it in the bud .
B Rajapaksa 17*, Shanaka 12*
Dhananjaya throws it away
On his pads and De Silva clips aerially straight to deep square-leg. He was targeting the short boundary but that was a very poor shot under the circumstances.
Sri Lanka fall deeper into the hole
D De Silva c Shikongo b Frylinck 12(11)
Sri Lanka are struggling at 42 for 4 and need a further 122 in 13 overs.
Sri Lanka 30 for 3 after 5 overs
Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dhananjaya De Silva have a huge task ahead of themselves to resurrect the innings.
Namibia right on top at the moment
Shikongo on a hat-trick!
Shikongo bowls a peach to Gunathilaka first ball and has him edging to the keeper.
Sri Lanka are in all sorts of trouble at 21 for 3
D Gunathilaka c Green b Shikongo 0
Nissanka goes. Sri Lanka in trouble
Nissanka tries to hit fast bowler Ben Shikongo down the ground but doesn't get the required elevation and finds mid-on.
P Nissanka c Smit b Shikongo 9(10)
Early wicket for Wiese!
Kusal Mendis gets a top edge off David Wiese to hand wicketkeeper Zane Green an easy catch running in.
Namibia are ecstatic!
K Mendis c Green b Wiese 6(6)
Sri Lanka 12 for 1 in 1.3 overs
Nissanka and Mendis come out to begin the chase. Just like Sri Lanka did, Namibia will start off with spin. Captain Erasmus has the new ball.
So Namibia's late-order heroics leave Sri Lanka with a tricky 164 runs to chase in the first game of the tournament.
Sri Lanka's fielding which was excellent early on, also had a few wobbles towards the back-end as Smit and Frylinck caught them off guard.
Dasun Shanaka's side will need to put those last few overs out of their heads when the chase gets going in a few minutes time.
Namibia on their end will be flowing with confidence after that performance with the bat.
Namibia finish on 163 for 6
What a finish by Smit and Frylinck! Sri Lanka were plundered for 47 in the last 3 overs and are left chasing a target around 30 runs higher than they would've anticipated at the point when David Wiese was dismissed.
Frylinck is run out off the last ball but played a superb hand with 44 off 28. JJ Smit made an unbeaten 31 off just 16 balls, and the pair's 69-run partnership has taken Namibia to a very competitive total.
50 partnership in 28 balls
Smit and Frylinck have been brilliant these last few overs!
Pramod Madushan is smacked for 18 off the penultimate over and the Namibian 150 is up with a full over to go.
J Frylinck 34*, JJ Smit 31*
There's the big over they were looking for!
Smit and Frylinck take 16 off Chamika Karunaratne's final over. 150 is well on the cards now.
Namibia 132 for 6 in 18 overs.
3 overs to go, Namibia 116 for 6
Jan Frylinck has played some attractive strokes on his way to 30 and big hitting JJ Smit who has joined him at the wicket will be looking to go hard in these last few overs with an eye on a 140+ total.
J Frylinck 26*, JJ Smit 10*
Wiese gone first ball!
Maheesh Theekshana gets the big wicket of David Wiese without scoring. The all-rounder got a faint edge that was gobbled up behind the stumps.
D Wiese c Mendis b Theekshana 0(1)
5th wicket goes down!
Dhananjaya de Silva takes a tricky catch looking to the sun at deep square-leg to send Baard back to the pavilion for 26.
The right-hander was looking good but falls just as his team was looking to up the run rate
S Baard c De Silva b Madushan 26(24)
Namibia 92/5 in 14 overs
Hasaranga makes the breakthrough!
Erasmus was starting to look more comfortable and knocking the ball nicely into gaps but this time pulls straight to the fielder at deep mid-wicket
G Erasmus c Gunathilaka b Hasaranga 20(24)
Namibia are 78 for 4 at the end of 12 overs.
The runs have dried up
With the introduction of Wanindu Hasaranga into the attack run making has grinded to a halt. Namibia need a strong second half to their innings
Namibia 59/3 in 10 overs
Namibia 48/3 in 7 overs.
Captain Gerhard Erasmus in the company of Stephan Baard are starting to rebuild after losing three wickets in the powerplay.
Mendis takes a blinder!
Nicol Loftie-Eaton struck two sixes on his way to 20 but nicks behind off Chamika Karunaratne. Kusal Mendis behind the stumps pounces to his left to take a fabulous low catch.
JN Loftie-Eaton c Mendis b Karunaratne 20(12)
Namibia 36/3 in 5 overs.
Second wicket down!
Divan la Cock tries to go aerial but is early on the shot and lobs an easy catch to Dasun Shanaka at mid-on. Pramod Madushan too gets a wicket in his first over.
D la Cock c Shanaka b Madushan 9(9)
Namibia 16 for 2 after 3 overs
Chameera strikes!
Dushmantha Chameera makes the first breakthrough of the tournament as he has van Lingen skying an attempted pull.
M van Lingen c Madushan b Chameera 3(6)
We are underway!
Namibia are 5/0 after the first over.
Michael van Lingen and Divan la Cock are the openers for Namibia.
Maheesh Theekshana will start things off with the ball.
The teams have lined up for the National Anthems and the tournament curtain raiser is minutes away from commencing.
The square boundaries are significantly shorter than the hitting straight at Kardinia Park, Geelong. In fact, one of the boundaries is just 57m from the centre. Expect to see a lot of hits going in that direction.
Namibia (Playing XI): Stephan Baard, David Wiese, Gerhard Erasmus(c), Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, Zane Green, Divan la Cock, Michael van Lingen, Bernard Scholtz and Ben Shikongo
Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan and Maheesh Theekshana
Left-arm quick Dilshan Madushanka who picked up a quadricep injury on the eve of the game is likely to be out of the tournament. Pramod Madushan has been included in the starting XI n his stead while Dushmatha Chameera also makes a return after missing the Asia Cup through injury.
Sri Lanka win the toss and choose to field
Dasun Shanaka elects to chase in the first game of the tournament. Namibian captain Erasmus says he would have done the same.
Dasun Shanaka's Sri Lankan side is riding a wave of confidence following their recent Asia Cup triumph and have high hopes going into the eighth edition of the tournament.
Namibia themselves have been on a good run of form with the team building on last year's relatively impressive showing in Oman and the UAE, with a string of impressive showings in 2022 including a series win over Zimbabwe.
Hello and good morning!
Welcome to our live blog of the first match in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022, with Sri Lanka taking on Namibia at the Kardinia Park in Geelong, just outside Melbourne. These two teams incidentally, faced each other to start their last World Cup campaign as well, when the 2021 edition was held in the United Arab Emirates. Namibia were soundly beaten that day, and their captain Gerhard Erasmus will be hoping that that defeat is far from his team's mind today.
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