Namibia edged out Oman in a thrilling T20 World Cup Group B match in Barbados on Sunday, winning via a super over. David Wiese emerged as the hero, scoring 13 runs in Namibia’s super over total of 21, then restricting Oman to 10 runs with his bowling to secure the win at Kensington Oval.
The match was forced into a super over after both teams scored 109 runs in their allotted 20 overs. Ruben Trumpelmann’s impressive four-wicket haul had left Oman all out for 109 in 19.4 overs, putting Namibia in a strong position.
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However, Oman’s bowlers, particularly Mehran Khan, mounted a disciplined defense. Khan’s superb spell of three wickets for seven runs off three overs, including two crucial wickets in the final over, left Namibia needing just five runs for victory, but they were unable to clinch it.
Despite his excellent performance, Khan was not chosen for the super over, with Bilal Khan taking the ball instead. This decision backfired as Wiese smashed a four and a six off Bilal’s first two deliveries, followed by three more runs and two consecutive fours from Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus, setting a target of 22 runs for Oman.
Wiese then took on the bowling duties in the super over, conceding only two runs from his first two balls and taking a wicket. Oman needed 18 runs off the final delivery, making victory impossible despite a six from Zeeshan Maqsood.
Wiese, who found the match emotionally draining, expressed confidence in his ability to deliver with both bat and ball in the super over. He noted the challenging pitch conditions but praised his team’s adaptability.
Oman captain Aqib Ilyas defended the choice of Bilal over Mehran for the super over, citing Bilal’s general reliability despite the plan not working out this time. Trumpelmann’s early two-wicket burst and Wiese’s 3-28 off 3.4 overs had given Namibia a strong start, but the run chase proved difficult, with Jan Frylinck (45) and Niko Davin (24) top-scoring as they narrowly missed their target.
