T20 World Cup 2022, SL vs NAM highlights: Namibia pull off miraculous 55 run win over Sri Lanka

Here's what the two skippers had to say about the result:

Gerhard Erasmus: Incredible journey, last year was special for us. The opening day here was special and we want to do well with this start. We have brought a winning culture into the team with the limited resources we have with some wonderful coaching staff.

Dasun Shanaka: We didn't execute well with the ball. Didn't bowl in the right areas and that's a concern. We are a good team. Just need some partnerships. Need the openers to come good and the No. 3 to click.

Jan Frylinck wins the Man of the Match award for his all-round contribution in this HUGE win. 

"I'm a little bit speechless at the moment. What we just achieved is above what we thought we could do. I am just very excited at this point of time. JJ just came in and took a little bit of pressure off me with a lot of boundaries. Myself and JJ got us to a competitive total and the bowlers were just unbelievable," said the all-rounder. 

He scored 44 runs after Namibia were down to 93/6, and also chipped in with two important wickets.

It's all over! Namibia have pulled off a miraculous win over the Asia Cup champs! What a win, an absolutely unpredictable outcome in the very first match of T20 World Cup 2022. Chasing 164, Sri Lanka could only muster up 108 runs as they were all out in 19 overs. 

A resounding win that is going to send shockwaves across the cricketing fraternity. 

Ninth wicket down for Sri Lanka and it looks like Namibia are running away with it, Karunaratne came down the track but completely mistimed his shot with Baard gobbling up the catch. Last man Maheesh Theekshana comes out to bat. 

SL 106/9 (18)

Sri Lanka need 58 runs in 12 balls

Two wickets in quick succession and the improbable could be about to turn into reality. Sri Lanka are eight wickets down against Namibia. Skipper Dasun Shanka mistimes his effort and Zane Green takes a great catch, more celebrations followed suit as Madushan was run out and the Asia Cup champs look down and out. What could be the implications of this loss? 

SL 92/8 (15.1)

Sri Lanka need 72 runs in 29 balls

Sri Lanka are six down now, what a match this is turning out to be! Wanindu Hasaranga becomes the latest casualty with the Asia Cup's Player of the tournament dismissed after recording just four runs. Bernard Scholtz gets his second scalp, and Loftie-Eaton completes a fantastic catch towards deep mid-wicket. 

Sri Lanka need 82 runs in 43 balls

Valiant Namibia continue their fightback, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Man of the match of Asia Cup final dismissed after scoring 20 runs. Tried to find the big hit but couldn't clear the longer boundary towards mid-wicket region. Hasaranga joins the skipper in the middle. 

SL 75-5 after 11 overs. 

Sri Lanka need Sri Lanka need 88 runs in 53 balls. 

Credit to Namibia for taking this game to Sri Lanka. The Asia Cup champs have been stunned by the minnows. Remember, this is the first match Sri Lanka have played since winning the Asia Cup back in August. 

Highest T20I total by an Associate team against Sri Lanka:
163/7 - Namibia today
153/7 - Afghanistan in 2016
138 - Canada in 2008
135/7 - Ireland 2009

Namibia score over 160 against the team playing their first match after winning Asia Cup.#T20WorldCup

— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) October 16, 2022

Namibia are making a game of this and how! The Asia Cup champs are four down now, Dhananjaya de Silva walks back after being caught over long leg. A mistimed shot spells the end of the Sri Lanka batter. Skipper Dasun Shanaka joins Rajapaksa in the middle now. 

SL 42/4 (6.5)

Double whammy for Sri Lanka! Ben Shikongo strikes twice in two balls to stun the Lankans! The Namibian bowler gets both Pathum Nissanka and Gunathilaka! Dasun Shanka's side looks stunned. Are we witnessing an upset?

SL 21/3 (3.3)

Breakthrough! Namibia draw first blood, Kusal Mendis has to walk back after failing to connect properly and the Sri Lankan opener is dismissed after scoring six runs. Zane Green completes the catch and David Wiese celebrates his first scalp of the match!

SL 13-1 after 2 overs. 

Jan Frylinck scored 44 runs in 28 balls. He was ably supported by JJ Smit who finished unbeaten after adding 31 runs to the cause. All the Sri Lankans bowlers picked up at least one wicket each, and Pramod Madhushan chipped in with two scalps, however, they gifted away runs aplenty in the death overs. 

Off to Shanaka's batters now, will they be able to score 164?

Sensational comeback from Namibia! Jan Frylinck, JJ Smit put up a 70-run partnership in just 37 balls to take Namibia to a total of 163-7 in 20 overs. 

This, after they were earlier reduced to 93/6, and from there on, it was all Namibia all around. 

Sri Lanka need 164 runs to win, but they will be disappointed as they could have restricted their opponents to a much lesser total. 

Gone, another one bites the dust, Theekshana gets David Wiese. He's dismissed on a duck, JJ Smit is the next batsman. Namibia six down. 

NAM 95-6 after 15 overs.

Hasaranga removes Erasmus! The Namibian skipper walks back to the dugout after his attempt to score a six didn't bear fruit, a googly does the trick for the Sri Lankan all-rounder. The 41-run partnership comes to an end. 

Namibia are now staring down the barrel. 

NAM 78-4 after 12 overs. 

Namibia off to a shaky start after losing three early wickets. After ten overs, they have scored 59 runs, skipper Gerhard Erasmus and Stephan Baard trying to ride out the storm. 

NAM 59/3 (10)

Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton is dismissed by Chamika Karunaratne. The Namibian batsman was looking dangerous, having struck a six and a boundary earlier, but the Sri Lankan pacer had the last laugh. Skipper Gerhard Erasmus is in the middle now. Namibia 36-3 after five overs. 

Namibia are two down, having lost both openers early. Divan la Cock is dismissed by Pramod Madushan after scoring 9 runs. Skipper Shanaka completes the catch. Sri Lanka have the upper hand here as expected. 

Namibia 16/2 after 3 overs. 

Namibia began with caution, just five runs came off the first over. However, Dushmantha Chameera was introduced into the attack by the Sri Lankan skipper and it paid dividends, Michael van Lingen is out caught by Pramod Madushan. Namibia NAM 6/1 after (1.2) overs. 

Right then, the national anthems are done, and we're ready for the first ball to be bowled by Maheesh Theekshana. Michael van Lingen and Divan la Cock gear up to face the first over. Ligen is on strike. 

As far as the pitch at Simonds Stadium, Geelong is concerned, there could be bounce on offer since the soil is from Gabba. There's a fair bit of grass cover as well. The straight boundaries are longer, although towards the square it's 57m. Both sides will be looking to advantage of that. 

Team news is out, here's how Sri Lanka and Namibia are lining up for match 1 of T20 World Cup 2022. 

Namibia: Stephan Baard, David Wiese, Gerhard Erasmus(c), Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, Zane Green(w), Divan la Cock, Michael van Lingen, Bernard Scholtz, Ben Shikongo

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Dhananjaya de Silva, Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana

Sri Lanka have won the toss and have opted to field. Dasun Shanka said that since it's the first match of the tournament he'd like to take a look at the wicket. As far as the team news is concerned, they've gone for the same combination that they had in Asia Cup. 

Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus also hinted about having to bowl had he won the toss as well.