In a crucial game in Group A, Pakistan won the toss once again at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo and decided to bat first. The Pakistan openers got off to a steady start despite being a little lucky as well before Saim Ayub played a nothing shot and got out. But the Men In Green look on course to get a competitive score on the board. Namibia needs to take wickets to keep them under pressure.
Pakistan gets off to a solid start despite losing Saim Ayub in powerplay.Â
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub came out to open the batting for Pakistan. JJ Smit had ball in hand for Namibia. Smit bowled a decent first over. Gerhard Erasmus had ball in hand from the other end. Farhan welcomed him with a boundary with a drive through covers for a boundary. Ruben Trumpelmann came onto bowl next. Ayub whipped hum away by pulling it to left of mid-on for a boundary.
Ayub managed to get the outside edge and flew left of the keeper who dived but could not get a hold of it as the ball went away to the deep third man fence. Jack Brassell came into the attack next. Farhan got a thick outside edge that flew past the keeper for a boundary. Farhan punished the loose ball as he pulled it over midwicket for a boundary. Trumpelmann continued as Farhan stayed leg side of the ball and swung across the line and got it of the inside half of the bat past diving midwicket for a boundary. Fargan crunched the next ball through covers for a boundary.
Brassell continued and he got rid of Ayub for 14 off 12 balls with 2 fours to his name. Brassell bowled on the fuller side and wide outside the off-stump. Ayub went deep in his crease but threw his hands at it to reach out. He tried to cut it but his feet went nowhere. He got a faint outside edge and the keeper Zane Green took the catch by snaffling to his left. Drinks was taken at this stage.
Captain Salman Ali Agha came out to bat next. Salman punched the ball through cover point for a boundary. Pakistan were 47/1 in 6 overs at the end of the powerplay and off to a steady start with Farhan unbeaten on 26 off 20 balls and Agha unbeaten on 6 off 4 balls.
Sahibzada Farhan & Salman Ali Agha drives Pakistan forward to take Pakistan to 85 inside 10 overs.Â
Willem Myburgh came into the attack next post powerplay. The 50 came up for Pakistan in 6.4 overs as Myburgh bowled a decent first over. Bernard Scholtz came into the attack next and he bowled a decent over as well. Myburgh continued as Agha pumped it away as he launched it away downtown for the maximum. Farhan joined the party as he slog swept it away over deep midwicket for the maximum. Farhan went big again as he clubbed the ball over deep midwicket for the maximum.
Bernard Scholtz continued as Farhan got treated for a knee issue. Scholtz bowled a decent over as Pakistan at the halfway stage of the game were 85/1 in 10 overs with Farhan unbeaten on 46 off 33 balls while Salman Ali Agha unbeaten on 21 off 15 balls.
What Lies Ahead.Â
Pakistan have gotten off to a solid start in this game after winning the toss and deciding to bat first. They are 85/1 in 10 overs and with a long batting line-up. Pakistan will want to score somewhere around 170-180 to put severe pressure on Namibia. Namibia needs wickets to make a match out of it. Advantage Pakistan for now.
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