The ICC T20 World Cup 2022 started on Sunday with a bumper upset as Namibia stunned everyone by defeating Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka by a massive margin of 55 runs at the Simonds Stadium, Geelong, to kickstart their tournament with a bang.
Sri Lanka had been considered favourites ahead of the start of this first preliminary qualifying round game. Now, however, they will need to win at least one of their remaining two matches, and by a fair distance, to keep their hopes alive of proceeding to the Super 12 round. Namibia, on the other hand, are all elated with this terrific victory.
The start didn’t go well for Namibia, who were asked to bat first by Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka, and lost three wickets for 35 runs inside the powerplay. Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Stephan Baard and skipper Gerhard Erasmus hung on for the next 10 overs to weather the storm with their 20s.
With Namibia struggling at 93/6, all-rounders Jan Frylinck and JJ Smit launched a terrific counter-attack with some aided by some sloppy fielding by Sri Lanka. The pair smashed 69 runs from 33 balls – Frylinck (44 off 28) and Smit (31* off 16) – to take Namibia to a decent total of 163.
Namibia needed early wickets, and they got early wickets, that too in bundles. David Wiese and Ben Shikongo snared out three wickets in the powerplay while Frylick struck with one wicket soon after the powerplay.
The biggest wicket, that of Bhanuka Rajapaksa, came in the 11th over courtesy of Bernard Scholtz, and that put Namibia in the driver’s seat as they controlled the game from thereon and continued to take regular wickets, eventually bowling Sri Lanka out for only 108, securing a 55-run victory.
This is now the third-biggest win for an Associate team vs a Full member team in T20Is; the previous two were by Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe in 2016.
The Sri Lankan team, in particular their batsmen, were trolled massively on Twitter following their timid and concern-raising performance in the loss to Namibia:
Namibia have done it – one of the most famous victory in the history of Namibian cricket. Defeated Sri Lanka by 55 runs in the opening game of 2022 World Cup.
Well played, Namibia! pic.twitter.com/Tvr1lfZk62
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 16, 2022
It’s been that kind of a day for Sri Lanka fans. pic.twitter.com/My9cOK9T10
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 16, 2022
Greatest day in the history of Namibian cricket, they have beaten Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup 2022.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 16, 2022
Namibia have beaten Asia Cup winners, Sri Lanka by 55 runs. ICC, stop with these silly extra qualifying groups and just have a 16 team World Cup. #T20WorldCup2022
— kεz (@_kezx) October 16, 2022
Sri Lanka should still make it to Super 12 ideally but it will be funny if they end up not making it to Super 12 of T20 WC just after winning Asia Cup.
That’ll do the job of highlighting the difference between playing in UAE and in Australia.#SLvNAM #T20WorldCup2022
— Akash Kumar Jha (@Akashkumarjha14) October 16, 2022
Sri Lanka played poorly, obviously, but the story of the nqtch is how magnificently Namibia performed with bat, ball and in the field. Warning gong sounded for all teams in the WC that this is going to be a tough competition
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) October 16, 2022
Namibia has defeated the Asia Cup winners Sri Lanka in the T20WC.
Modi ji identified the talent of Namibian Cheetahs way early. Jai ho 🤣
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) October 16, 2022
Voice of Russell Arnold keeps getting funnier and funnier as Sri Lanka keep inching towards the loss.
It is hilarious.#SLvNAM #T20WorldCup2022
— Akash Kumar Jha (@Akashkumarjha14) October 16, 2022
Sri Lanka are using the BCCI bilateral tactic of losing the first match of the series and then walking away with the trophy at the end.
First, did it in the Asia Cup.
Now in the WT20.— Manya (@CSKian716) October 16, 2022
I might have tipped on #BBCStumped this week that Sri Lanka could surprise a few people… Guess they’ve done that!#T20WorldCup
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) October 16, 2022
Sri Lanka who lost to Afghanistan beat India and Pakistan to win the Asia Cup and now have lost the first match of the #T20WorldCup to Namibia.
This year as I said before, is a Jai Mata Di year, beware of 2022, it could take down any team.#SLvsNAM
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) October 16, 2022
What is this mug performance from Sri Lankan batters?!!#T20WC2022 #SLvsNAM
— Jatin Khandelwal (@jr_khandelwal) October 16, 2022
Namibia beating Sri Lanka seven weeks after they won the Asia Cup would be a properly massive upset.
— Andrew Nixon (@andrewnixon79) October 16, 2022
This is proper humiliation of Sri Lanka… what a memorable start of this WT20
— JSK (@imjsk27) October 16, 2022
This isn’t an upset.
Sri Lanka winning the Asia Cup was the actual upset.#T20WorldCup2022
— Narbavi (@Narbavi) October 16, 2022
To beat Sri Lanka at cricket, send Cheetahs to India.
— El Chopernos (@El_Chopernos) October 16, 2022
Smart strategy by Sri Lanka here.
Lose the first match, badly.
Inspire the team to win the whole tournament.It worked for the Asia Cup, so why not the World Cup? #SLvNAM
— Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) October 16, 2022
Frylick was given the Man of the Match award for his knock of 44 off 28 balls and 2 wickets for 26 runs in his 4 overs.
