Opener Mohammad Rizwan continued his scintillating type with a blistering 79 as a completely skilled Pakistan stormed into the semifinals of the T20 World Cup with a 45-run thrashing of Namibia right here on Tuesday.
From scoring solely 12 runs in his first 21 balls, the wicketkeeper-batter smashed 67 within the subsequent 29 deliveries, as Pakistan pummelled 130 runs within the back-10 to set a frightening goal of 190 for the match debutants.
Rizwan’s 50-ball knock contained 4 sixes and eight fours, whereas his skipper Babar Azam soaked up the early stress with a cultured 70 from 49 deliveries in a record-breaking 113-run opening stand.
With the knock, Rizwan (1661) surpassed Indian skipper Virat Kohli (1614) and remained simply 5 shy of Chris Gayle (1665) to change into the batter with most T20 runs in a calendar yr.
Pakistan are by to the semis 🔥#T20WorldCup | #PAKvNAM | https://t.co/LOepIWiGnz pic.twitter.com/iX9UrG511o
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) November 2, 2021
Babar and Rizwan grew to become the primary opening pair to submit 5 century-plus partnerships, bettering the Indian duo Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan’s tally of 4.
The pair additionally grew to become the primary to mixture 1000-plus T20I runs — 1041 — in a calendar yr as Pakistan seized management of the sport.
Mohammad Hafeez additionally returned to type with a sensational cameo of 32 not out from 16 balls (5×4), one thing that allowed Rizwan the much-needed breather within the center.
Such was the affect of Rizwan and Hafeez within the back-end that Pakistan scored 71 runs from the final 5 overs.
In reply, Namibia have been restricted to 144 for 5 with David Wiese making 43 from 31-balls and Craig Williams scoring 40.
Heading into the sport, Hasan Ali’s bowling type was the weakest hyperlink in Pakistan’s in any other case flawless present on this World Cup, however the pacer appeared to have gotten his rhythm again, returning spectacular figures of 1/22 in 4 overs.
Ali was given the brand new ball and he impressed early, cleansing up Michael van Lingen to present Pakistan an ideal begin.
Namibia wanted 120 with eight wickets in hand on the midway mark however Pakistan seemed in full management.
Namibia’s celebrity all-rounder Wiese saved producing his large hits however he lacked help on the different finish within the daunting chase.
Earlier, Namibia took the honours within the first 10 overs, giving freely simply 59 runs on the midway mark.
It was an uncharacteristically gradual begin for the Pakistani duo, who have been additionally batting first for the primary time in 4 video games, with the Namibian bowlers hardly giving them any room.
Trumpelmann led the assault beautifully, returning with figures of 2-1-2-0 in his first spell, as Pakistan made simply six runs within the first three overs.
Rizwan struggled to get going and noticed an LBW resolution overturned whereas he was on two from 11 balls.
The wicketkeeper was additional examined after being hit by a Ben Shikongo short-pitched supply however he managed to carry on, at the same time as his skipper went after the bowling.
Babar took the early initiative and complemented effectively en path to his third half-century from 4 matches.
Rizwan broke free towards Namibia’s finest bowler, Trumpelmann, stepping out to hit him over long-on.
It additionally meant that left-arm medium pacer Trumpelmann, who simply conceded two runs and bowled a maiden in his first two overs, went for 34 in his final two with Rizwan-Hafeez going for the kill.
Pakistan additionally acquired some assist with the dew settling in in the direction of the back-end of the innings because the Namibians struggled to examine the run stream, at the same time as Babar and Co’s technique to hold wickets in hand paid dividends.
