UAE overcame a late scare from all-rounder David Wiese who hammered 55 to eventually snatch a seven-run win over Namibia in their last Group A match in first round of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 at Kardinia Park.

This was UAE’s first-ever win in their history of T20 World Cups and while they’re out of the T20 World Cup 2022, the Emiratis leave with pride. Muhammad Waseem hit a 41-ball fifty while skipper CP Rizwan smashed an unbeaten 43 off 29 deliveries to see UAE get to a competitive 148/3. Namibia, meanwhile, were in big trouble at 67/7 in 13 overs.

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That’s when Wiese came in to bat and hit three fours and as many sixes during his 36-ball stay at the crease. He also shared a 70-run partnership with Rubel Trumpelmann for the eighth wicket, a record partnership in T20 World Cup history.

But Wasim dismissed Wiese in the final over and conceded just six runs to knock the Namibians out of the competition and in the process, help the Netherlands enter the Super 12 stage from Group A alongside Sri Lanka.

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From Group A, table-toppers Sri Lanka join England, Australia, New Zealand and Afghanistan in Group 1 while the second-ranked Netherlands enter Group 2 comprising India, Pakistan, South Africa and Bangladesh.

Chasing 149, Namibia lost openers Stephen Baard and Michael van Lingen in the first three overs. Baard lobbed a leading edge to cover off Junaid Siddique, while van Lingen found a deep square leg fielder off Basil Hameed.

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Namibia’s woes piled when Nicol Loftie-Eaton was trapped lbw while captain Gerhard Erasmus was castled by Karthik Meiyappan. JJ Smit was then run out at bowler’s end in the eighth over.

Zahoor Khan dismissed Jan Frylinck and Zane Green in a span of four balls in the 13th over, as Namibia’s hopes of a comeback looked unlikely. But Wiese stitched a 70-run stand off 44 balls for the eighth wicket with Rubel Trumpelmann, hitting seven boundaries between them to give Namibia a chance of winning.

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With 14 needed off the final over, Wiese tried to clear long-on off a cross-seam ball from Muhammad Waseem, but the fielder leapt to take the catch, leaving the all-rounder devastated as UAE signed off from T20 World Cup on a high.

Earlier, electing to bat first, the opening pair of Waseem and wicketkeeper Vriitya Aravind put on just 39 runs in just eight overs. Aravind was unable to score quickly after the power-play and was finally dismissed for 21 off 32 balls off left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz.

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After Rizwan joined Waseem at the crease, UAE began seeing runs scored quickly. Two balls after reaching his half century in the 15th over, Waseem holed out to short third man off Shikongo. However, Rizwan carried on and stayed unbeaten on 43, with three fours and a six.

He was supported by Basil Hameed, who smacked an unbeaten 25 off just 14 deliveries late in the innings. The pair scored 33 runs in the last two overs, including three sixes off the last seven balls, to take UAE to a total that was eventually enough in the end for a win.

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Brief Scores

UAE 148/3 in 20 overs (Muhammad Waseem 50, CP Rizwan 43 not out; Ben Shikongo 1/8, Bernard Scholtz 1/22)

Namibia 141/8 in 20 overs (David Wiese 55, Rubel Trumpelmann 25 not out; Basil Hameed 2/17, Zahoor Khan 2/20)