New Zealand: With a big win over Namibia, New Zealand keeps their hopes alive for a semi-final berth. On a difficult surface, Glenn Philips and Jimmy Neesham’s game-changing partnership helped New Zealand upset Namibia by 52 runs in a Super 12 match in Sharjah on Friday.
Highlights
- New Zealand defeated Namibia by 52 runs in Sharjah on Friday.
- With this win, NZ moved to the second spot in Group 2.
- NZ edge closer to T20 World Cup semis after thrashing Namibia.
On a challenging surface, Glenn Philips and Jimmy Neesham’s game-changing partnership helped New Zealand beat Namibia by 52 runs in a Super 12 game here on Friday, keeping them on track for a T20 World Cup semifinal berth.
New Zealand reached 163 for four and then restricted the opposition to 111/7.
Thanks to late-hitting from Phillips (39 not out off 21 balls) and Neesham (35 not out off 23 balls).
The wickets were divided by Tim Southee (2/15), Trent Boult (2/20), Mitchell Santner (1/20), Ish Sodhi (1/22), and Jimmy Neesham (1/6). With the win, the Kiwis moved up to second place in the standings, with six points and a net run rate of +1.277.
On Sunday, they face Afghanistan in what might be a virtual quarterfinal. In the face of a 164-run target, Namibia’s Stephen Baard (21) and Michael van Lingen (25) combined for 47 runs for the first wicket.
However, New Zealand dismissed both openers, with Neesham dismissing Lingen in the eighth over and Santner, a 29-year-old slow left-arm orthodox bowler, dismissing Baard as Namibia slipped to 51/2. Leggie Sodhi cheaply replaced rival captain Gerhard Erasmus (3) to tighten the screws on Namibia.
Zane Green (23) and David Wiese (16) merely postponed the inevitable, as veteran pacer Tim Southee trapped the latter in front in the 15th over to put an end to the opposition’s hopes.
Phillips and Neesham had earlier beaten Namibia to a pulp and drove New Zealand above 150 points, a feat that seemed improbable at the time.
New Zealand was struggling at 87/4, but Phillips and Neesham’s relentless hitting got the Kiwis back in the game.
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In just 36 balls, the duo added 76 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket. Neesham hit one boundary and two maximums, while Phillips hit one four and three sixes.
The Kiwis scored 53 runs in the last three overs thanks to Phillips and Neesham.
When asked to bat, New Zealand’s Martin Guptill (18) fell in the fifth over. After giving Ruben Trumpelmann a routine catch off David Wiese (1/40).
Guptill smashed left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz (1/15) over long-on for a maximum.
As the Kiwis raced to 30/0 after four overs, Daryl Mitchell (19) hit his maiden boundary. Straight down the ground off Johannes Smit. Namibia, on the other hand, put the Kiwis on the back foot. By sending both of their openers to the dressing room.
As the Kiwis slid to 43/2, Wiese broke the 30-run opening stand by dismissing Guptill. And Scholtz dismissed Mitchell, who was caught in the deep by Michael van Lingen in the seventh over.
With a 38-run stand, Kane Williamson (28) and Devon Conway (17) attempted to rally the innings.
Williamson flung wide his arms in the 11th over. Slamming a maximum and a four-off leg-spinner Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton on consecutive balls.
However, Williamson was dismissed in the 13th over by the opponent’s skipper. And leg-spinner Gerhard Erasmus (1/22) as New Zealand reached 81/3.
As Conway was also run-out, the score quickly became 87/4. After a slow start, Phillips and Neesham put on a display from the 18th over onwards. When they stormed into Wiese and collected 21 runs.
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