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An all-round performance from Jan Frylinck helped Namibia to register a stunning 55-run victory over Sri Lanka in the opening game of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Geelong on Sunday.
After being put to bat first, Namibia were in deep trouble, losing their six wickets for 93 in 14.2 overs. However, the experienced pair of Frylinck and JJ Smit bailed Namibia ou༺t and helped their team put up a competitive total.
The duo of Frylinck and Smit formed a game-changing partnership of 70 runs for the seventh wicke𝄹t to take Namibia to 163/7 in 20 overs. Frylinck was run out on the last ball, scoring a brilliant 44 from 28 deliveries. Smit, on the other hand, remained unbeaten at 31 off just 16 balls with the help of two fours and as many sixes.
In response, the Islanders just could not get going and were eventually packed for 108 in 19 overs, losing the game by 55 runs. Dasun Shanaka (29) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (20) did contribute, but it wasn’t enough to get Sri Lanka home.
Frylinck, who starred with the willow, chipped in with a notable performance with the ball as well. The star all-rounder picked up a couple of wickets for 26 runs in his quota of 4 overs. Apart from Frylinck, David Wiese (2/16), Bernard Scholtz (2/18), and Ben Shikongo (2/22) also bagged two scalps apiece.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
44 off 28 with the bat🏏
2/26 with the ball 🔥All-round brilliance from Jan Frylinck 💪
— ICC (@ICC)
Incr🍷edible start to the world cupꦺ . Has to be the most competitive T-20 WC . Big shout out to Namibia, a complete team effort
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7)
What a win🔯 for Namibia 🇳🇦and what start to the ICC 🐼Men’s T20 World Cup!!
— Mpumelelo Mbangwa (@mmbangwa)
The unpredictability of Sri Lanka:
Beat Pakistan twice
Beat India
Win the Asia Cup
Lose to Namibia— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket)
Namibia upset Sri Lanka at the T20 Worlꦛd♓ Cup. Scorecard:
— betvisa69.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
Namibia now have more wins against full-member teams (IRE 2021 & SL 2022) than Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in the men's T20 World Cups and the same number of wins as Afghanistan and Ireland.
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats)
That is the 38th T20I win for a non-ICC Full Member v an ICC Full Member across 148 matches (25% wins) in 15 years. In ODIs there have been just 48 such💧 wins a꧋cross 393 matches (12% wins) in 47 years. T20 is the format of the underdog.
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket)
Not the result we wanted 💔, but we will look to bounce back in the match💙es ahead.
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC)
Namibia has just registered their 27th T20I win in their 39th match!
Their top five victories against Test-playing nations are
1 vs Ireland in Oct 2021
3 vs Zimbabwe in May 2022
1 vs Sri Lanka in Oct 2022— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman)
Biggest margin of win for an Associate team
against a Full member team in T20Is81 runs – Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, Sharjah 2016
59 runs – Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe, Nagpur 2016
55 runs – Namibia vs Sri Lanka, Geelong 2022— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom)
Well that’s just outstanding by Namibia. Super in th🌄e field, discipl𝓀ined bowling and tremendous late innings batting. Hard road for SL now, especially if rain is about. Looking forward to the expanded in the future.
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell)
Na♕mibian captain Gerhard Erasmus was emotional while speaking to the players after a terrific win agai𓆉nst Sri Lanka.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
