T20 World Cup: Netherlands join Pakistan's group in Super 12

GEELONG: Netherlands will be one of the teams Pakistan will play in the group stage of the T20 World Cup 2022.

Sri Lanka and Netherlands have qualified for the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup 2022 after the conclusion of Group A matches today.

Netherlands qualified for the next round after United Arab Emirates (UAE) defeated Namibia by seven runs after a thrilling clash.

Zahoor Khan and Basil Hameed grabbed two wickets each as the UAE reduced Namibia to 69-7 in the 13th over before late fireworks from David Weise (55 off 36 balls) set up a tense last-over finale.

UAE skipper Chundangapoyil Rizwan won the toss and chose to bat, but it was hard going against an attack led by paceman Ruben Trumpelmann, a key performer in Namibia´s run to the second round 12 months ago.

Supported by veteran Wiese, Bernard Scholtz, JJ Smit and Jan Frylinck, they restricted UAE openers Muhammad Waseem and Vriitya Aravind to just 39 off the opening eight overs.

As the pressure mounted, Aravind (21) found an edge off Scholtz and the first wicket fell.

Waseem began opening the bat to get the scoreboard moving and with Rizwan alongside him, brought up his fifth T20 half-century, off 40 balls.

But he was gone two balls later, sending a Ben Shikongo delivery to third man into the safe hands of Trumpelmann.

They reached three figures in the 15th over before Alishan Sharafu (4) was out with Rizwan (43 not out) and Basil Hameed (25 not out) driving them towards a respectable total with 33 runs plundered from the last two overs.

In reply, Namibia lost their openers early with Stephan Baard getting a thick edge off Junaid Siddique and Ahmed Raza collecting the catch, then Michael van Lingen was caught on the ropes.

It left them at 16-2 after three overs and with their work cut out, which did not get any easier when Jan Nicol Lofti-Eaton was out lbw on review two overs later to hand India-born Hameed a second wicket.

When skipper Gerhard Erasmus was bowled by Karthik Meiyappan, who took a hat-trick against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, and JJ Smit was run out, Namibia were in disarray at 46-5.

Zahoor Khan then removed the dangerous Jan Frylinck with a yorker and Zaner Green three balls later, leaving Namibia staring into the abyss in the 13th over.

But Weise never gave up and partnered by Trumelmann (not out 25) set about rescuing his country with some power hitting, reducing the target to 20 off the last two overs only to come up short.

Sri Lanka topped Group A and will join Afghanistan, Australia, New Zealand and England in Group 1.

Meanwhile, Netherlands, who finished in second place in Group A, will be part of Group 2 alongside India, Pakistan, South Africa and Bangladesh.

Netherlands’ match against Pakistan will be on October 30, Sunday, in Perth.

The final spots in Group 1 and 2 will be snapped up by teams winning tomorrow’s matches of Group B. Scotland, Zimbabwe, West Indies and Ireland are in the hunt for the remaining spots.

The winner of Group B will be placed in Group 2, while the team which comes second will join Group 1.

The story includes input from AFP.

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