Toss: Ireland won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue:Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Umpires: Aleem Dar & Chris Brown
What Actually Happened
Winner: Namibia won by 8 wickets
Scores: Ireland 125/8 – Namibia 126/2
Player of the Match: David Wiese
Best Figures
Jan Frylinck – 3/21
Curtis Campher – 2/14
Most Runs
Paul Stirling 38 (24)
Gerhard Erasmus – 53* (49)
Moments of The Day: Namibia Hold Nerve As Ireland Crash Out
Paul Sitrling & Kevin O’Brien have served Irish cricket for more than a decade and they continued to deliver. A 62-run partnership in seven odd overs set the platform for Ireland. Unfortunately they could not capitalize.
Although the batters have been in focus in Namibia’s progress, do not discount the collective bowling performance. With Frylinck (3/21), Scholtz (1/25), JJ Smit (1/27), Wiese (2/22), and Trumpelmann/Ya France (economical), Ireland only added 59 runs in the last 76 balls.
Let us talk about the captain Gerhard Erasmus. Although Wiese got a player of the match for quickfire 28* (14) with two sixes, Erasmus held Namibia together (and Wiese himself said Erasmus should have received the award). Scoring 53 (29) and staying unbeaten to see his team through was an emotional moment. The mature innings magnified his leadership.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Ireland Get a Taste of Their Own Medicine
The Ireland cricket team was the pioneer of Associate nations. Their victory over Pakistan in 2007 CWC and further progress over the decade saw them receive Test status. They defeated Pakistan, England, West Indies in various stages and what happened today? Ireland were ‘upset’ by Namibia. Full circle. Crash out of the World Cup.
The qualification complicacies and Round 1 of the T20 World Cup make it near impossible for certain Associate teams to join the big teams in the Super 12s. Namibia did it the hard way, by defeating at least 15 different nations.
Namibia make the Super 12 after defeating Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho, Saint Helena, Ghana, Uganda, Botswana, Scotland, Bermuda, Kenya, Singapore, Oman, Netherlands and Ireland.
No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Max O’Dowd – 123 runs (Netherlands, 3 Matches)
Shakib Al Hasan – 9 wickets (Bangladesh, 3 Matches)
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Toss: Namibia won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Umpires: Langton Rusere & Michael Gough
What Actually Happened
Winner: Namibia won by 6 wickets
Scores: Netherlands 164/4 – Namibia 166/4
Player of the Match: David Wiese
Best Figures
Jan Frylinck – 2/36
Pieter Seelar – 1/8 (& Fred Klassen 4-0-14-1)
Most Runs
Max O’Dowd – 70(36)
David Wiese – 66* (40)
Moments of The Day:
Max O’Dowd’s excellent form continues – Another 50 for O’Dowd. Stayed throughout the innings and made sure Netherlands reached a competitive total. The highest scorer of the tournament so far, he would be disappointed by the lack of support from others around him.
Erasmus provides impetus and Wiese finishes it off in style – When Williams and Baard departed in consecutive overs, Netherlands would have felt they are closer to victory. However a quickfire 32 (22) from captain Erasmus and Wiese’s out of the world 66* innings made sure Namibia finish it in style.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Netherlands Lose 2 in 2
In the 2019 T20 World T20 Qualifier, Netherlands emerged as the winner. They are currently #11 in the ODI circuit and received ODI status as well. You wonder then, how did they fail to prepare for the T20 World Cup?
No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Max O’Dowd – 123 runs (Netherlands, 3 Matches)
Shakib Al Hasan – 9 wickets (Bangladesh, 3 Matches)
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Toss: Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Umpires: Adrian Holdstock & Paul Reiffel
What Actually Happened
Winner: Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets
Scores: Namibia 96/10 – Sri Lanka 100/3
Player of the Match: Mahesh Theekshana
Best Figures
Mahesh Theekshana – 3/25
Bernard Scholtz – 1/16
Most Runs
Craig Williams – 29(36)
Bhanuka Rajapaksa – 42 (27)
Moments of The Day: All-Round Bowling Performance, Fernando-Rajapaksa Key To Lanka’s Victory
Sri Lanka’s Pacers are the real deal – With combined figures of 8-0-36-2, Chamika Karunaratne & Dushmantha Chameera set the tone. Look out for them throughout the tournament.
Mahesh Theekshana the new Ajantha Mendis? Theekshana’s action and variations resemble Mendis, Lanka’s mystery spinner from 2008-12. Taking out the openers was key in restricting Namibia to 96. With Wanindu Hasaranga, they can form a potential mystery spin partnership.
Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa save Sri Lanka from embarrassment. Trumpelmann, Scholtz, and Smit had reduced Sri Lanka to 26-3 in 5 overs. Fernando’s switch to #4 position and Rajapaksa’s positive innings made sure Sri Lanka reaches victory without further hiccups. A dropped catch helped as well.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Namibia’s international comeback celebration cut short with poor display
Playing their first World Cup since 2003 ODI World Cup and an inspiring qualification campaign, a 96/10 might not accurately reflect their true quality. Associate nations have been on fire in this tournament, and Namibia’s defeat seemed like a disappointment. Hopefully, the team and star all-rounder David Wiese comes to the party as well.
No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Jatinder Singh – 73* runs (Oman, 1 Match)
Zeeshan Mahmood – 4 wickets (Oman, 1 Match)
Calum MacLeod (Scotland, 1 Match) – 3 catches
Zane Green (Namibia, 1 Match), Neil Rock (Ireland, 1 Match) – 1 dismissal
Group A Table
Teams
Played
Won
Lost
Tied No-Result
Points
Net Run Rate
1. Sri Lanka
1
1
0
0
2
+ 2.607
2. Ireland
1
1
0
0
2
+ 1.755
3. Netherlands
1
0
1
0
0
– 1.755
4. Namibia
1
0
1
0
0
– 2.607
T20 World Cup 2021 Points Table
Also, if you have not yet read our T20 World Cup Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Toss: Bangladesh won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue: Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Muscat
Umpires: Ahsan Raza & Richard Kettleborough
What Actually Happened
Winner: Scotland won by 6 runs
Scores: Scotland140/9 – Bangladesh 134/7
Player of the Match: Chris Greaves
Best Figures
Mahedi Hasan – 3/19
Brad Wheal – 3/24
Most Runs
Chris Graves – 45 (28)
Mushfiqur Rahim – 38 (36)
Moments of The Day: Bangladesh’s Spinners, Chris Greaves, and MacLeod’s Catching Makes It Scotland’s Day
Bangladesh Spinners Turn The Screws – George Munsey and Matthew Cross had taken Scotland up to 45/1 in 7 overs after the early wicket of their captain. Within the next 5 overs, Bangladesh took full control with the Mahedi Hasan-Shakib al Hasan duo. Scotland
Chris Greaves and Mark Watts Manifest Recovery of the Ages – Switch hits, smart running, and with proper cricketing shots, the Greaves-Watts partnership of 51 (34) gave Scotland belief. Watts departed by Greaves continued on his merry way to 45. Add Safyaan Sharif’s 8* (2) including a mighty six, Scotland got much needed momentum.
Calum MacLeod Catches Three Out of Thin Air – Although tight all-round bowling was the reason Bangladesh could not chase the score, equally as important was Calum MacLeod’s role as a boundary rider. Important catches of Shakib, Mahmudullah, and Nurul Hasan was the difference between a win or loss. One drop, and Bangladesh close that six run margin. However, MacLeod’s brilliance made sure that did not happen.
Honorable Mention: There Is Swing at the T20 World Cup! Taskin, Saifuddin, Brad Wheal, & Josh Davey all found some hints of swing
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: The Musfiq-Shakib Partnership
Mushfiqur Rahim has been one of the best wicketkeeper-batters over the past decade, and Shakib Al Hasan is undoubtedly one of the greatest all-rounders of all time (and now the highest wicket taker in T20Is). However, today’s loss might be attributed to their slow partnership – 47 (46) recovery was done, but could not carry on. 38 (36) & a painful 20 (28) does not do justice to their talents and experience.
No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Jatinder Singh – 73* runs (Oman, 1 Match)
Zeeshan Mahmood – 4 wickets (Oman, 1 Match)
Calum MacLeod (Scotland, 1 Match) – 3 catches
Group B Table
Teams
Played
Won
Lost
Tied No-Result
Points
Net Run Rate
1. Oman
1
1
0
0
2
+ 3.135
2. Scotland
1
1
0
0
2
+ 0.300
3. Bangladesh
1
0
1
0
0
– 0.300
4. Papua New Guinea
1
0
1
0
0
– 3.135
T20 World Cup 2021 Points Table
Also, if you have not yet read our T20 World Cup Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Moments of The Day: Amini-Vala’s Fluency, Maqsood’s Over, and the Ilyas-Jatinder Show
Bilal Khan, Kaleemullah set the tone for Oman. PNG never really recovered from the maiden wicket over & the 1-run wicket over. Tony Ura & Lega Siaka were both bowled for ducks.
Assad Vala & Charles Amini turn it on for PNG. Left-arm batters are a joy to watch. Put two of them together, and it is even better. Captain Vala and Amini regularly danced down the track and hit lofted shots to muster a 81 (60) partnership.
Then a W, 1, W, 0, W, 0 over by opposing captain Maqsood caused a collapse from which PNG never recovered.
Honorable Mention: 131-run partnership from Aqib Ilyas (50*) and Jatinder Singh (73*) as Oman coasted to victory; Jatinder Singh does the Shibhar Dhawan ‘Gabbar; celebration after a catch.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: The Run Out
PNG had recovered from 0/2 and were coasting at 81/2. Then came the hara-kiri moment—ran from the non-striker’s end a, Nadeem picked the ball, and direct hit. Amini was looking so good…as
Tweets of the Day
Despite not having the best days on the field, it was a huge moment for Papua New Guinea nevertheless. Here are some tweets and threads that made this day special for the players and the fans in the backdrop of the beautiful mountains behind Oman’s stadium.
PNG support staff in tears during their national anthem. It's the tears of reaching to this stage after such hardwork, cricket is a beautiful sport. pic.twitter.com/TfJfV46n7t
The World Cup is about to start. And that means the latest nation will be joining. Papua New Guinea.
You will hear them being referred to as a family a lot. And compared to other cricket teams they certainly feel more like a family than a collection of athletes.
Today is the first day of the Cricket World Cup and in a COVID-induced twist of events, it's kicking off in Muscat, Oman
Having cut my teeth playing on cement & sand for the national junior team a decade+ ago, feels surreal to watch cricket in a beautiful stadium in Oman on ESPN pic.twitter.com/v0S44pFwzf
No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Jatinder Singh – 73* runs (Oman, 1 Match)
Zeeshan Mahmood – 4 wickets (Oman, 1 Match)
Jatinder Singh (Oman), George Munsey (Scotland) – 2 catches
Group B Table
Teams
Played
Won
Lost
Tied No-Result
Points
Net Run Rate
1. Oman
1
1
0
0
2
+ 3.135
2. Papua New Guinea
1
0
1
0
0
– 3.135
2. Bangladesh
4. Scotland
T20 World Cup 2021 Points Table
Also, if you have not yet read our T20 World Cup Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:
