Namibia put on a spectacular performance in the opening game of the 2022 T20 World Cup to register their greatest-ever win in their cricket history. Jan Frylinck scored 44 off 28 and picked 2 for 26, while JJ Smit smashed 16-ball 31* and claimed 1 for 16 as they defeated Sri Lanka by 55 runs in the opening match of the tournament.
Having won the toss and decided to bowl first, the Lankan lions were on top early, with seamers reducing Namibia to 35 for 3 inside five overs. Stephan Baard (26) and captain Gerhard Erasmus tried to rebuild the innings before they lost wickets in heaps.
Namibia were 6 down for 93 in 14.2 overs when JJ Smit joined Frylinck in the middle, and the duo produced an outstanding recovery act. Sri Lanka’s death overs bowling woes returned as Frylinck and Smit belted them all around the park. The pair added 70 runs in just 34 balls to power Namibia’s total to 163/7.
David Wiese dismissed in-form Kusal Mendis on his fourth ball to land an early blow to the Sri Lankan chase. Ben Shikongo then struck on consecutive deliveries, removing Pathum Nissanka and Danushka Gunathilaka. Frylinck could not be kept away from the game as he scalped Dhananjaya de Silva in the seventh over, with Sri Lanka reeling at 40 for 4.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dasun Shanaka were the last remaining hope for their side, but the former holed out at long-on four overs later. Shanaka’s 29 off 23 wasn’t enough as they kept losing wickets, eventually getting bowled out for 108.
This upset is massive in the context of the Super 12 qualification. Sri Lanka have taken a big hit on their net run-rate as well, which could prove crucial if the Netherlands and Namibia play to their potential.
Brief scores
Namibia 163/7 in 20 overs (Frylinck 44, Smit 31*; Madushan 2/37, Theekshana 1/23) beat Sri Lanka 108 in 19 overs (Shanaka 29; Shikongo 2/22, Frylinck 2/26, Wiese 2/16) by 55 runs.
