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.