Sri Lanka top Group A and qualify for England's Super 12 pool; Netherlands finish runners-up despite defeat to Sri Lanka after Namibia suffer seven-run defeat to UAE; Namibia's Super 12 hopes ended as UAE earn maiden T20 World Cup win
Thursday 20 October 2022 13:05, UK
Sri Lanka and Netherlands have qualified for the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup, with Namibia's hopes scuppered by a thrilling defeat to the United Arab Emirates.
Sri Lanka, champions of this competition in 2012, secured a spot in round two with a 16-run victory over Netherlands and as winners of Group A will now enter Group 1 of the Super 12s, a pool featuring England, Australia, New Zealand, Afghanistan and one other qualifier.
Netherlands faced an anxious wait to see whether they would advance, knowing that a win for Namibia over UAE would dump them down into third spot on net run rate.
However, Namibia slipped to a dramatic seven-run defeat to UAE, tumbling to 69-7 inside 13 overs in pursuit of 149 before being rallied by an eighth-wicket stand of 70 from 44 balls between David Wiese (55 off 36) and Ruben Trumpelmann (25no off 24) and then ending short on 141-8.
Namibia's hopes of making the Super 12s for the second straight year were dashed, UAE celebrated their maiden victory at a T20 World Cup, and Netherlands progression into the main stage was confirmed.
Netherlands will now play India, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh and one other qualifier in Group 2 of the Super 12s, with the complete line-ups to be confirmed on Friday when a hotly-contested Group B concludes in Hobart.
Ireland play two-time champions West Indies in the opening game (5am UK time) before Scotland face Zimbabwe (9am UK time) with the winners of both matches to qualify for the next stage.
Each team has one victory from two games so far with Scotland heading the group on net run rate followed by, in order, Zimbabwe, West Indies and Ireland.
That means Scotland and Zimbabwe would advance in the event of both games being washed out.
In Thursday's earlier game, Netherlands opener Max O'Dowd (71no off 53) kept his team in a chase of 163 as wickets tumbled at the other end before Scott Edwards' men ended on 146-9.
Netherlands needed 54 from the final 18 balls but that was reduced to 23 off the last as O'Dowd creamed three consecutive boundaries off Binura Fernando in the 18th over before 16 runs came from Maheesh Theekshana's nine-ball 19th over.
Sri Lanka seamer Lahiru Kumara conceded only six runs from the final over, however, as his team made it two wins in succession since suffering a shock defeat to Namibia in their opening match.
Kusal Mendis had earlier top-scored for Sri Lanka with 79 from 44 balls in a total of 162-6.
Netherlands' defeat left them hoping the result of Namibia vs UAE went their way and it did - just.
Namibia looked toast in the 13th over but Wiese's boundary-hitting - he clubbed three sixes and as many fours - and stand with Trumpelmann left the African side needing 14 from the final six deliveries.
Muhammad Waseem - who had earlier hit a half-century with the bat for UAE - conceded just four runs from the first three balls of the over and then had Wiese caught on the long-on boundary next delivery.
