T20 World Cup: Namibia reach Super 12s as Ireland knocked out
- Published
Namibia shock Ireland to qualify for Super 12 stage
ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Sharjah Cricket Stadium |
Ireland 125-8 (20 overs): Stirling 38 (24), O'Brien 25 (24); Frylinck 3-21 |
Namibia 126-2 (18.3 overs): Erasmus 53* (49) |
Namibia won by eight wickets |
Ireland were knocked out of the Men's T20 World Cup as Namibia pulled off a shock eight-wicket win in Sharjah to reach the Super 12s.
Ireland laboured from 62-0 to 125-8 after Paul Stirling fell for 38.
Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus hit 53 not out from 49 balls and David Wiese an unbeaten 28 from 14 to seal victory with nine balls to spare.
Namibia are playing in their first T20 World Cup and are the lowest-ranked side.
In finishing as runners-up in Group A, they join India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan and Scotland in Group 2 of the Super 12s.
Sri Lanka bowled the Netherlands out for 44 in an eight-wicket thrashing in Sharjah later on Friday to confirm their status as Group A winners.
Namibia break new ground and Ireland hearts
This is the biggest victory in Namibia's cricket history as the associate nation beat a Test side to take their place alongside the game's elite in the next phase.
Before this week they had never won a game at a T20 or 50-over World Cup. Having beaten the Netherlands on Wednesday, they now have two victories in three days.
"It is completely overwhelming," said Wiese, the 36-year-old former South Africa all-rounder who was named player of the match.
"I don't actually think I deserve to be standing here. The man of the match is Gerhard Erasmus for that innings.
"[It was] an unbelievable captain's knock under pressure. Today is his moment."
Namibia had never reached the main draw of a T20 World Cup
Erasmus, who has played for Namibia since 2011, said: "We are a small cricketing nation and are very proud of that. It means a lot. The achievement is one heck one."
Namibia's progress also secured their place at next year's T20 World Cup in Australia.
Ireland, meanwhile, were left to reflect on a failure to progress for the fifth consecutive T20 World Cup.
"The lads are gutted. It hurts a lot," captain Andrew Balbirnie said.
"It is a really tough one to take. It is going to take a while to go away."
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Erasmus bowled - but the bails stay on
As well as Erasmus batted during an unbroken stand of 53 with Wiese, he was fortunate to survive when, on 34, he was beaten by a delivery from seamer Craig Young which clipped off stump but did not knock the bails off.
In truth, it probably would not have mattered with Namibia the better side for almost all the match.
Despite Stirling and Kevin O'Brien powering Ireland to the highest powerplay total of the tournament - 55-0 - both were caught in the deep in consecutive overs as Ireland stalled badly.
Wiese finished with 2-22 and fellow medium-pacer Jan Frylinck 3-21, mixing up their pace on a slow, low pitch.
Namibia started slowly in their chase, but when Wiese smashed consecutive leg-side sixes in the 15th over the match swung definitively in their favour.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, progressed with a 100% record from the group, bowling the Netherlands out for the sixth lowest total in T20 international history before completing the chase in only just 7.1 overs.
Ryan ten Doeschate's omission from the Netherlands side signalled the end of his career, the 41-year-old Essex all-rounder having said he would retire at the end of the tournament.
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