The inaugural match in the series of T20I between Namibia national cricket team and Scotland national cricket team has caught the international eye, in particular to any cricket enthusiast in Qatar and the Gulf. The match at the Namibia Cricket Ground is the start of a pivotal 3-match series as both teams come out of an intense week ODI leg that happened earlier this week.
The two teams were going into the match with the expectation and point to prove considering the ICC rankings and the pride of the region.
Match Overview
The Namibia national cricket team won the toss and decided to bat first as they wanted to have a competitive number in a pitch that provided early support to those who bowled (first bowlers). The move is an indication of their desire to exert scoreboard pressure on Scotland more so since their ODI defeat in the recent past.
The innings however did not start on a good note as the disciplined bowling attack by Scotland left its mark immediately making Namibia destabilised by Scotland top order.
As there are half an innings to go, the question now becomes whether Namibia can act quickly and target a competitive score in the last few overs.
Major Seconds of the First Innings.
It has been a half of first aggression and first restraint in bowling. Scotland resulted in early invasions, putting Namibia on the spot and making it go through a cautious intermediate.
The outshine among the performers with the ball has been Jasper Davidson who has taken 17 runs and 2 wickets in his maiden performance. The skill to sustain line and length has rendered scoring challenging.
Namibia had the backing of Mark Watt and Zainullah Ihsan which helped the country never to shuffle into a groove anywhere during the powerplay and the middle overs.
Best Performance
Namibia has had some signs of resistance despite the early wickets. Louren Steenkamp was off to a scoring attack with a brisk 27 in 19 balls, among which were boundaries that raised the score rate only temporarily.
On the crease, captain Gerhard Erasmus is yet to be beaten with 15 runs under his belt with the burden of holding down the innings. His position will have significant influence in steering Namibia to a justifiable total.
In the case of Scotland, the bowling unit had retained the tightness in the economy rate; the suppression of easy scoring opportunities.
What to anticipate in the remaining Overs?
At 75/4, Namibia now will see the 10 remaining overs decide the date of the match. Providing Gerhard Erasmus slides the innings and gets backed up by lower order, Namibia has the promise of sliding to the 150-160 zone.
Scotland will, instead, look to carry on with their rigorous bowling and keep Namibia at less than par. The game is already held in the balance and the death overs are vital.
Significance of this Match
There is much more than just the outcome to this T20I series. The Scotland national cricket team now occupies the 14 th rank in the ICC T20I standings with Namibia national cricket team right behind.
Good results in this series may result in a change of ranking, which will mount additional pressure and incentives to both parties. To the fans in Qatar, and in the Gulf region in general, the game is also an indication of the increased competitiveness of the associate cricket countries.
FAQs
In which country is Namibia vs Scotland 1st T20I held?
This game is taking place at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek.
What is the score of Namibia?
Namibia is currently at 75/4 in 9.3 overs in the first innings.
Where can the fans in the Gulf watch the match?
The matches are most commonly broadcasted on such websites as ICC.tv or FanCode to the people of the Gulf region.
Top Stories3 weeks ago
