ICC/Getty Images
In a nail-biting encounter, Namibia triumphed over Oman in a Super Over during their 2024 ICC T20 World Cup opener on Sunday night. After both teams were tied with scores of 109, Namibia outclassed Oman in the one-over eliminator, setting the stage for a memorable start to the tournament.
Despite being bundled out for 109, Oman mounted a dramatic comeback with the ball, pushing the match into the Super Over. However, Namibia, led by the composed and experienced David Wiese, dominated the Super Over to secure a crucial victory.
This match marked only the third time a men's T20 World Cup game has gone to a Super Over and the first since 2012. Wiese and Gerhard Erasmus racked up an impressive 21 runs against the seasoned Bilal Khan. Wiese then ensured Oman couldn't pull off another comeback, limiting them to just 10 runs.
On a challenging pitch where runs were hard to come by, Wiese began the Super Over in style, drilling a full delivery through the covers and then smashing a full toss for a six wide of long-on. Erasmus continued the onslaught, flick-sweeping for a boundary and squeezing a yorker past short third to post the highest score in a T20 World Cup Super Over.
Wiese then took control with the ball, conceding just two runs off his first two deliveries before dismissing Naseem Khushi with an edge onto the stumps. Oman managed only a single off the next ball, making the target unreachable, and Wiese closed out the win, becoming only the fourth player in men's T20Is to bat and bowl in a Super Over.
Namibia’s modest chase was spearheaded by Jan Frylinck, who brought the equation down to 18 runs needed off the last three overs. Mehran Khan began the 18th over with four byes, then had JJ Smit caught at long-on and bowled three consecutive dots to Wiese.
In the final over, with Namibia needing just five runs, Mehran bowled Frylinck off his pads for a 48-ball 45. He then trapped new batter Zane Green lbw and kept the pressure on, allowing only two runs from Wiese and nearly securing victory for Oman.
Namibia’s decision to bowl first paid off when Ruben Trumpelmann trapped Kashyap Prajapati lbw on the first ball. Trumpelmann then dismissed Oman captain Aqib Ilyas with a searing inswinging yorker and struck again in his next over, reducing Oman to 10 for 3.
Zeeshan Maqsood attempted to rebuild with a flurry of boundaries but fell to Bernard Scholtz. Namibia’s spinners, Scholtz and Erasmus, then stifled Oman’s scoring, bowling 44 consecutive deliveries without conceding a boundary.
Oman managed a late surge, with Ayaan Khan attacking Scholtz for a six. However, tight bowling from Wiese and Trumpelmann restricted Oman, with the latter finishing with figures of 4-21.
Bilal Khan provided Oman an early breakthrough, but Namibia navigated the powerplay cautiously. The pressure from Oman's spinners, particularly Ilyas who bowled a maiden, slowed the scoring rate. Despite dropped catches, Jan Frylinck anchored Namibia’s innings, helping take the game to the last over.
Having come so close, Oman will rue their missed chances. Meanwhile, Namibia, buoyed by Wiese’s heroics, will look to build on this thrilling victory as they progress in the T20 World Cup.
Australia have 'serious work to do' against India, McSweeney concedes
Nathan McSweeney conceded Australia have "serious work to do" if they are to get back into the first Test against India.
The Baggy Greens trail by 218 runs heading into day three in Perth after an unbroken century partnership of Yashasvi Jaiswal (90) and KL Rahul (62) put the tourists well in control at 172-0 at stumps.
Though they resumed at 67-7, Australia could only add another 37 runs and were bowled out for 104.
McSweeney acknowledged the hosts must improve, and quickly.
"It definitely hasn't gone to plan in the past couple of days," he told ABC. "We've got some serious work to do to get back into this Test. It looks like it is getting easier to bat, so hopefully we get early wickets tomorrow and get batting.
"It is definitely a new-ball wicket. All the damage was done before we could get through to the 35-40-over mark with the bat, so the trick will be nullifying the new ball and having batters in for the 40-80-over mark."
Former Australia head coach Darren Lehmann added: "It was a tough day, but hats off to the two Indian batters. They were excellent today and weathered the storm, and they got to the stage where they could take the game on.
"India are well ahead of the game. The wicket has settled down a little bit, but that is more because the Australia bowlers were tired from the first innings and having to bat two hours today."
Matthews, Molineux propel Renegades to WBBL summit after dominant nine-wicket win over Thunder
West Indies captain Hayley Matthews put on a batting masterclass, smashing an unbeaten 60 off just 37 balls to power the Melbourne Renegades to a commanding nine-wicket victory over the Sydney Thunder at Melbourne's Junction Oval on Friday.
The win catapulted the Renegades to the top of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) standings and once again highlighted their title ambitions as they continue to enjoy fairly decent form. In fact, they required only 14.2 overs to easily get to 137-1, surpassing the Thunders modest total of 133.
Another West Indies star, Deandra Dottin, also played a pivotal role in the victory, chipping in with a tidy spell of 2-24 in 3.1 overs to help restrict the Thunder, with Renegades spinner Sophie Molineux delivering a standout performance by claiming 4-23. Georgia Wareham (2-20) also shared in the wickets.
Scores: Melbourne Renegades 137-1 (14.2 overs); Sydney Thunder 133 (19.1 overs)
Chasing 134 for victory, the Renegades’ duo of Matthews and Molineux made light work of the target. Matthews, who was in imperious form, smashed seven boundaries and two sixes in her unbeaten knock, which displayed her full array of strokes against a Thunder attack that had no answers.
Molineux capped her all-round brilliance with an unbeaten 29-ball 42, including seven boundaries and one six, as she added a steadying hand to Matthews’ aggression.
The pair took the hapless Thunder bowlers to task in an unbroken 95-run second wicket stand that ensured the Renegades raced to victory with 34 balls to spare.
Matthews’ dazzling innings, after losing opening partner Courtney Webb (24), marked yet another high point in her WBBL campaign, demonstrating why she is considered one of the best in the world.
Earlier, the Thunder’s innings never gained sustained momentum, as they lost openers Georgia Voll (11) and Chamari Athapaththu (11) with a mere 26 runs on the board.
Captain Phoebe Litchfield, batting at number three, top-scored with a quick-fire 17-ball 30 that had six boundaries. However, their batting lineup faltered dramatically and collapsed from 95-4 in the 12th over to lose their last seven wickets for just 38 runs.
Tahlia Wilson (27) was the Thunder’s next best scorer, while Sammy-Jo Johnson offered a late cameo with 21 from 19 deliveries, leaving them with a subpar total that was always going to be a challenge for their bowlers to defend.
The Renegades now sit atop the WBBL table with 14 points, relegating Thunder (13 points) to second, with Brisbane Heat (12 points) in third, and needing a massive win against the Sydney Sixers in their final match of the regular season on Sunday to leapfrog the Renegades and secure the coveted hosting rights for the grand final.
Meanwhile, the race for fourth place remains wide open. The Perth Scorchers (nine points) will take on the fifth-placed Hobart Hurricanes (eight points) on Saturday in a must-win clash. The Sydney Sixers, in sixth place with eight points, still have a mathematical chance of advancing if they upset the Heat.
Jaiswal, Rahul and Bumrah put India in control against Australia
Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul's unbroken century partnership put India in complete control of their first Test against Australia on day two in Perth.
Jaiswal (90 not out) and Rahul (62 not out) left India 172-0 at stumps, extending their advantage to 218 runs after the hosts were bowled out for 104.
Australia resumed on 67-7 but were only able to add 37 runs to their overnight total, with Jasprit Bumrah completing a five-for with the dismissals of Pat Cummins (three) and Alex Carey (21) early on.
Nathan Lyon followed shortly after, but Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood added 25 from 110 before Starc edged India debutant Harshit Rana (3-48) behind to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
After a tentative start to India's chase, Jaiswal and Rahul eventually found their groove, though the former was fortunate to see his attempted drive dropped by Usman Khawaja at second slip when on 51.
Following a first day that saw 17 wickets fall, India's openers were rarely troubled as they cruised through the remainder of the session to give the tourists a comfortable lead.
Data Debrief: Trouble in Paradise
Only four Tests have been played at the Optus Stadium in Perth and all have been won by Australia, but they face a huge task of maintaining that perfect record.
The hosts' total of 104 runs was also their fourth-lowest score against India in Tests and ninth-lowest at home since 1900.
And while Jaiswal and Rahul will receive plaudits for their showing with the bat, Bumrah starred with the ball. He struck with his opening delivery of the day and has now claimed his 11th five-wicket haul in Tests and ninth outside Asia – the latter stat seeing him equal Kapil Dev's record for India.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
