Ruben Trumpelmann made an immediate impact for Namibia in their T20 World Cup Group B opener against Oman at Bridgetown. In the very first over, Trumpelmann bowled a perfect inswinger that trapped Kashyap Prajapati right in front of the stumps. He followed this with another stunning delivery, a toe-crushing yorker, to dismiss Aqib Ilyas for a golden duck. Trump’s lethal bowling left Oman struggling early on.
Oman’s Struggle and Namibia’s Tight Bowling
Oman continued to face difficulties as Trumpelmann struck again in his next over, removing the hard-hitting Naseem Khushi who was caught at mid-off. Former captain Zeeshan Maqsood tried to stabilize the innings with some risky shots, but the spin attack from Bernard Scholtz saw him walking back to the pavilion. Scholtz’s sharp turner proved too much for Maqsood, and Oman was 36/3 by the end of the powerplay.
Namibia’s bowlers kept the pressure on, utilizing the two-paced pitch effectively. Trumpelmann finished with career-best figures of 4/21. Gerhard Erasmus, Namibia’s captain, contributed with his off-breaks, taking two crucial wickets. Veteran all-rounder David Wiese added three more wickets to his tally, helping Namibia bowl out Oman for a modest total of 109 in the final over.
Namibia’s Shaky Start
Namibia’s chase started on a similar shaky note as Bilal Khan’s outswinger claimed Michael van Lingen’s wicket on just the second ball of the innings. Despite this early setback, Namibia managed to reach 32/1 by the end of the powerplay. Nikolaas Davin and Jan Frylinck formed a 42-run partnership, but Davin’s slow 31-ball 24 ended in the ninth over, putting more pressure on the team.
Frylinck and Wiese’s Efforts
Jan Frylinck kept the chase on track, ensuring the required run rate didn’t skyrocket. However, the dismissal of skipper Gerhard Erasmus, who managed a 13-ball 12, brought more tension to the Namibian camp. The game seemed within Namibia’s grasp until Mehran Khan delivered a wicket-maiden 18th over, leaving Namibia needing 14 runs from the last two overs.
David Wiese, known for his powerful hitting, brought Namibia back into the game with a crucial heave. But Mehran Khan struck twice in the final over, making the equation tough for Namibia. With two runs needed off the last ball, the Namibian batsmen scrambled for a bye, leveling the scores as the Omani keeper missed a chance to run them out, taking the game to a Super Over.
— Jackson Hernandez (@JHernandez9286) June 3, 2024
The Super Over Drama
In the Super Over, Oman surprisingly handed the ball to Bilal Khan instead of Mehran Khan, who had bowled brilliantly. Namibia’s experienced duo of David Wiese and Gerhard Erasmus capitalized on this decision, smashing 21 runs off the over.
Wiese then took charge with the ball, restricting Oman to just 10 runs in their Super Over. His all-round performance, both with bat and ball, secured a memorable victory for Namibia, marking the first T20 World Cup Super Over since 2012.
— Jackson Hernandez (@JHernandez9286) June 3, 2024
