T20 World Cup: Pakistan first team to seal semi-final berth after Namibia rout
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Pakistan defeated Namibia by 45 runs on Tuesday night in Abu Dhabi to become the first side to qualify for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2021.
Chasing a formidable target of 190, the African newbies gave a good account of their ability and promise, and were 83-2 at one point in the run chase. They eventually finished with 144-5 as Pakistan collected the two points they needed to go through the next round.
Earlier, skipper Babar Azam and fellow opener Mohammad Rizwan hit half centuries to guide Pakistan to 189-2.
Babar notched his 23rd Twenty20 international fifty with a 49-ball 70 while Rizwan finished with a 50-ball 79 not out after Pakistan won the toss and batted on a greenish Sheikh Zayed stadium pitch.
The pair added 113 for the first wicket after Pakistan were slow out of the blocks, scoring just 59 in the first ten overs but ended with a flurry in the next ten, taking 130 runs.
Veteran Mohammad Hafeez scored a brisk 16-ball 32 not out with five boundaries.
Pakistan's total is the second highest in this tournament, behind Afghanistan's 190-4 against Scotland in Sharjah.
Pakistan top Group 1 with three wins in as many games and a victory here will see them become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals.
Babar hit seven boundaries before he holed out to David Wiese in the 15th over while Fakhar Zaman was smartly caught by keeper Zane Green for five.
Rizwan reached his tenth half century with a pulled six off Wiese in the 19th over before hitting four boundaries and a six to take 22 off JJ Smit's final over.
Rizwan's knock included eight fours and four sixes.
End of live updates!
144-5 after 20 overs: Shaheen to Wiese, no run
144-5 after 19.5 overs: Shaheen to Wiese, 2 runs
142-5 after 19.4 overs: Shaheen to Wiese, no run
142-5 after 19.4 overs: Shaheen to Wiese, 4 runs NO BALL
137-5 after 19.3 overs: Shaheen to Wiese, 6 runs
131-5 after 19.2 overs: Shaheen to Wiese, 2 runs
129-5 after 19.1 overs: Shaheen to Loftie-Eaton, 1 run
Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton 6 (6) David Wiese 29 (25)
128-5 after 19 overs: Haris to Loftie-Eaton, 1 run
127-5 after 18.5 overs: Haris to Loftie-Eaton, 2 runs
125-5 after 18.4 overs: Haris to Wiese, 1 run
124-5 after 18.3 overs: Haris to Wiese, 2 runs
122-5 after 18.2 overs: Haris to Wiese, no run
122-5 after 18.1 overs: Haris to Wiese, 6 runs
Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton 3 (4) David Wiese 21 (21)
116-5 after 18 overs: Hasan to Loftie-Eaton, no run
116-5 after 17.5 overs: Hasan to Loftie-Eaton, 2 runs
114-5 after 17.4 overs: Hasan to Wiese, 1 run
113-5 after 17.3 overs: Hasan to Loftie-Eaton, 1 run
112-5 after 17.2 overs: Hasan to Loftie-Eaton, no run
112-5 after 17.1 overs: Hasan to Wiese, 1 run
David Wiese 19 (19) Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton 0 (0)
111-5 after 17 overs: Haris to Wiese, 1 run
110-5 after 16.5 overs: Haris to Smit OUT CAUGHT
110-4 after 16.4 overs: Haris to Smit, no run
110-4 after 16.3 overs: Haris to Wiese, 1 run
109-4 after 16.2 overs: Haris to Wiese, 2 runs
107-4 after 16.1 overs: Haris to Wiese, no run
JJ Smit 2 (3) David Wiese 16 (15)
107-4 after 16 overs: Shaheen to Smit, no run
107-4 after 15.5 overs: Shaheen to Wiese, 1 run
106-4 after 15.4 overs: Shaheen to Wiese, no run
106-4 after 15.3 overs: Shaheen to Wiese, 4 runs
102-4 after 15.2 overs: Shaheen to Wiese, no run
102-4 after 15.1 overs: Shaheen to Smit, 1 run
JJ Smit 1 (1) David Wiese 11 (11)
101-4 after 15 overs: Hasan to Smit, 1 run
100-4 after 14.5 overs: Hasan to Wiese, 1 run
99-4 after 14.4 overs: Hasan to Wiese, 4 runs
95-4 after 14.3 overs: Hasan to Wiese, 2 runs
93-4 after 14.2 overs: Hasan to Wiese, no run
93-4 after 14.1 overs: Hasan to Wiese, no run
David Wiese 4 (6)
93-4 after 14 overs: Shadab to Williams OUT CAUGHT
93-3 after 13.5 overs: Shadab to Williams, 4 runs
89-3 after 13.4 overs: Shadab to Williams, 2 runs
87-3 after 13.3 overs: Shadab to Wiese, 1 run
86-3 after 13.2 overs: Shadab to Wiese, no run
86-3 after 13.1 overs: Shadab to Wiese, 2 runs
David Wiese 1 (3) Craig Williams 34 (34)
84-3 after 13 overs: Imad to Wiese, 1 run
83-3 after 12.5 overs: Imad to Wiese, no run
83-3 after 12.4 overs: Imad to Wiese, no run
83-3 after 12.3 overs: Imad to Erasmus OUT
83-2 after 12.2 overs: Imad to Williams, 1 run
82-2 after 12.1 overs: Imad to Williams, 4 runs
Craig Williams 29 (32) Gerhard Erasmus 15 (9)
78-2 after 12 overs: Shadab to Williams, 1 runs
77-2 after 11.5 overs: Shadab to Erasmus, 4 runs
73-2 after 11.4 overs: Shadab to Erasmus, 1 run
72-2 after 11.3 overs: Shadab to Erasmus, no run
72-2 after 11.2 overs: Shadab to Erasmus, no run
72-2 after 11.1 overs: Shadab to Williams, 1 run
Craig Williams 23 (29) Gerhard Erasmus 14 (6)
71-2 after 11 overs: Haris to Williams, 1 run
70-2 after 10.5 overs: Haris to Williams, no run
70-2 after 10.4 overs: Haris to Williams, no run
70-2 after 10.3 overs: Haris to Williams, no run
70-2 after 10.2 overs: Haris to Williams, no run
70-2 after 10.1 overs: Haris to Williams, no run
Gerhard Erasmus 14 (6) Craig Williams 22 (23)
70-2 after 10 overs: Shadab to Erasmus, 4 runs
66-2 after 9.5 overs: Shadab to Erasmus, 6 runs
60-2 after 9.4 overs: Shadab to Erasmus, no run
60-2 after 9.3 overs: Shadab to Erasmus, 2 runs
58-2 after 9.2 overs: Shadab to Williams, DROPPED 1 run
57-2 after 9.1 overs: Shadab to Erasmus, 1 run
Craig Williams 21 (22) Gerhard Erasmus 1 (1)
56-2 after 9 overs: Hafeez to Williams, no run
56-2 after 8.5 overs: Hafeez to Erasmus, 1 run
55-2 after 8.4 overs: Hafeez to Williams, 1 run RUN OUT (Baard)
54-1 after 8.3 overs: Hafeez to Williams, no run
54-1 after 8.2 overs: Hafeez to Williams, 6 runs
48-1 after 8.1 overs: Hafeez to Baard, 3 runs
Stephan Baard 26 (28) Craig Williams 14 (18)
45-1 after 8 overs: Shadab to Baard, 1 run
44-1 after 7.5 overs: Shadab to Williams, 1 run
43-1 after 7.4 overs: Shadab to Baard, 1 run
42-1 after 7.3 overs: Shadab to Baard, no run
42-1 after 7.2 overs: Shadab to Williams, 1 run
41-1 after 7.1 overs: Shadab to Baard, 1 run
Craig Williams 12 (16) Stephan Baard 23 (24)
40-1 after 7 overs: Imad to Williams, 4 runs
36-1 after 6.5 overs: Imad to Baard, 1 run
35-1 after 6.4 overs: Imad to Williams, 1 run
34-1 after 6.3 overs: Imad to Williams, no run
34-1 after 6.2 overs: Imad to Williams, no run
34-1 after 6.1 overs: Imad to Williams, no run
Stephan Baard 22 (23) Craig Williams 7 (11)
34-1 after 6 overs: Haris to Baard, no run
34-1 after 5.5 overs: Haris to Baard, 6 runs
28-1 after 5.4 overs: Haris to Baard, no run
28-1 after 5.3 overs: Haris to Baard, no run
28-1 after 5.2 overs: Haris to Baard, 2 runs
26-1 after 5.1 overs: Haris to Williams, 1 run
25-1 after 5.1 overs: Haris to Williams, 1 WIDE
Stephan Baard 14 (18) Craig Williams 6 (10)
24-1 after 5 overs: Imad to Baard, no run
24-1 after 4.5 overs: Imad to Baard, no run
24-1 after 4.4 overs: Imad to Williams, 1 run
23-1 after 4.3 overs: Imad to Williams, no run
23-1 after 4.2 overs: Imad to Williams, no run
23-1 after 4.1 overs: Imad to Williams, no run
9:11pm: This will be some contest if it happens:
Craig Williams 5 (6) Stephan Baard 14 (16)
23-1 after 4 overs: Hasan to Williams, 1 run
22-1 after 3.5 overs: Hasan to Williams, 4 runs
18-1 after 3.4 overs: Hasan to Williams, no run
18-1 after 3.3 overs: Hasan to Baard, 3 runs
15-1 after 3.2 overs: Hasan to Baard, no run
15-1 after 3.1 overs: Hasan to Baard, no run
Stephan Baard 11 (13) Craig Williams 0 (3)
15-1 after 3 overs: Shaheen to Baard, 1 run
14-1 after 2.5 overs: Shaheen to Baard, no run
14-1 after 2.4 overs: Shaheen to Baard, 4 runs
10-1 after 2.3 overs: Shaheen to Baard, no run
10-1 after 2.2 overs: Shaheen to Baard, 2 runs
8-1 after 2.1 overs: Shaheen to Baard, no run
Craig Williams 0 (3) Stephan Baard 4 (7)
8-1 after 2 overs: Hasan to Williams, no run
8-1 after 1.5 overs: Hasan to Williams, no run
8-1 after 1.4 overs: Hasan to Williams, no run
8-1 after 1.3 overs: Hasan to Lingen OUT BOWLED
8-0 after 1.2 overs: Hasan to Baard, 1 run
7-0 after 1.1 overs: Hasan to Baard, no run
Michael van Lingen 4 (1) Stephan Baard 3 (5)
7-0 after 1 over: Shaheen to Lingen, 4 runs
3-0 after 0.5 over: Shaheen to Baard, 1 run
2-0 after 0.4 over: Shaheen to Baard, no run
2-0 after 0.3 over: Shaheen to Baard, 2 runs
0-0 after 0.2 over: Shaheen to Baard, no run
0-0 after 0.1 over: Shaheen to Baard, no run
Start of Namibia's innings
8:53pm: You'd think that this match won't have a lot of audience but you'd be mistaken. Some special folks are watching:
Story at the break: The stubborn opening duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan delivered yet again on a difficult Abu Dhabi wicket, sharing their fifth century stand to help Pakistan recover from a slow start and post a target of 190 runs for Namibia to chase.
On a pace-friendly wicket, Namibian pacers had Babar and Rizwan on the back foot early on but the pair masterfully absorbed that pressure before systematically upping the ante and producing 113 runs for the opening wicket.
Babar departed after contributing 70 off 49 balls while Rizwan continued and batted through the innings, finishing with an unbeaten 79 off 50 balls.
Somewhere in between , out-of-form Mohammad Hafeez appeared and played a cameo of 32 from just 16 deliveries.
End of the innings
Mohammad Rizwan 79 (50) Mohammad Hafeez 32 (16)
189-2 after 20 overs: Smit to Rizwan, 2 runs
187-2 after 19.5 overs: Smit to Rizwan, 4 runs
183-2 after 19.4 overs: Smit to Rizwan, 4 runs
179-2 after 19.3 overs: Smit to Rizwan, 4 runs
175-2 after 19.2 overs: Smit to Rizwan, 6 runs
169-2 after 19.1 overs: Smit to Rizwan, 4 runs
Mohammad Rizwan 55 (44) Mohammad Hafeez 32 (16)
165-2 after 19 overs: Wiese to Rizwan, 1 run
164-2 after 18.5 overs: Wiese to Rizwan, no run
164-2 after 18.4 overs: Wiese to Rizwan, 6 runs
158-2 after 18.3 overs: Wiese to Hafeez, 1 run
157-2 after 18.2 overs: Wiese to Hafeez, no run
157-2 after 18.1 overs: Wiese to Hafeez, 2 runs
Mohammad Rizwan 48 (41) Mohammad Hafeez 29 (13)
155-2 after 18 overs: Trumpelmann to Hafeez, 4 runs
151-2 after 17.5 overs: Trumpelmann to Hafeez, 1 run
150-2 after 17.4 overs: Trumpelmann to Hafeez, 2 runs
148-2 after 17.3 overs: Trumpelmann to Hafeez, 2 runs
146-2 after 17.2 overs: Trumpelmann to Hafeez, 4 runs
142-2 after 17.1 overs: Trumpelmann to Hafeez, 4 runs
Mohammad Hafeez 16 (8) Mohammad Rizwan 44 (40
138-2 after 17 overs: Smit to Hafeez, 1 run
137-2 after 16.5 overs: Smit to Hafeez, no run
137-2 after 16.4 overs: Smit to Hafeez, 4 runs
133-2 after 16.3 overs: Smit to Hafeez, 4 runs
129-2 after 16.2 overs: Smit to Hafeez, 2 runs
127-2 after 16.1 overs: Smit to Hafeez, no run
Mohammad Hafeez 5 (2) Mohammad Rizwan 44 (40)
127-2 after 16 overs: Frylinck to Hafeez, 1 run
126-2 after 15.5 overs: Frylinck to Hafeez, 4 runs
122-2 after 15.4 overs: Frylinck to Fakhar OUT CAUGHT BEHIND
122-1 after 15.3 overs: Frylinck to Fakhar, 2 runs
120-1 after 15.2 overs: Frylinck to Rizwan, 1 run
119-1 after 15.1 overs: Frylinck to Fakhar, 1 run
Fakhar Zaman 2 (2) Mohammad Rizwan 44 (39)
118-1 after 15 overs: Wiese to Fakhar, 1 run
117-1 after 14.5 overs: Wiese to Rizwan, 1 run
116-1 after 14.4 overs: Wiese to Rizwan, 2 runs
114-1 after 14.3 overs: Wiese to Fakhar, 1 run
113-1 after 14.2 overs: Wiese to Babar, OUT CAUGHT
113-0 after 14.1 overs: Wiese to Babar, 4 runs
Babar Azam 66 (47) Mohammad Rizwan 41 (37)
109-0 after 14 overs: Frylinck to Babar, 1 run
108-0 after 13.5 overs: Frylinck to Rizwan, 1 run
107-0 after 13.4 overs: Frylinck to Babar, 3 runs
104-0 after 13.3 overs: Frylinck to Rizwan, 1 run
103-0 after 13.2 overs: Frylinck to Babar, 1 run
102-0 after 13.1 overs: Frylinck to Rizwan, 1 run
Babar Azam 61 (44) Mohammad Rizwan 38 (34)
101-0 after 13 overs: Loftie-Eaton to Babar, 2 runs
99-0 after 12.5 overs: Loftie-Eaton to Rizwan, 1 run
98-0 after 12.4 overs: Loftie-Eaton to Rizwan, no run
98-0 after 12.3 overs: Loftie-Eaton to Rizwan, 6 runs
92-0 after 12.2 overs: Loftie-Eaton to Babar, 1 run
91-0 after 12.1 overs: Loftie-Eaton to Babar, 2 runs
Mohammad Rizwan 32 (31) Babar Azam 56 (41)
89-0 after 12 overs: Trumpelmann to Rizwan, 4 runs
85-0 after 11.5 overs: Trumpelmann to Babar, 1 run
84-0 after 11.4 overs: Trumpelmann to Babar, 4 runs
80-0 after 11.3 overs: Trumpelmann to Babar, 2 runs
78-0 after 11.2 overs: Trumpelmann to Rizwan, 1 run
77-0 after 11.1 overs: Trumpelmann to Rizwan, 6 runs
Babar Azam 49 (38) Mohammad Rizwan 22 (28)
71-0 after 11 overs: Shikongo to Babar, 4 runs
67-0 after 10.5 overs: Shikongo to Rizwan, 1 run
66-0 after 10.4 overs: Shikongo to Babar, 1 run
65-0 after 10.3 overs: Shikongo to Rizwan, 1 run
64-0 after 10.2 overs: Shikongo to Rizwan, 4 runs
60-0 after 10.1 overs: Shikongo to Babar, 1 run
Babar Azam 43 (35) Mohammad Rizwan 16 (25)
59-0 after 10 overs: Loftie-Eaton to Babar, 1 run
58-0 after 9.5 overs: Loftie-Eaton to Rizwan, 1 run
57-0 after 9.4 overs: Loftie-Eaton to Babar, 1 run
56-0 after 9.3 overs: Loftie-Eaton to Babar, 4 runs
52-0 after 9.2 overs: Loftie-Eaton to Rizwan, 1 run
51-0 after 9.1 overs: Loftie-Eaton to Babar, 1 run
Babar Azam 36 (31) Mohammad Rizwan 14 (23)
50-0 after 9 overs: Smit to Babar, 1 run
49-0 after 8.5 overs: Smit to Babar, no run
49-0 after 8.4 overs: Smit to Rizwan, 1 run
48-0 after 8.3 overs: Smit to Babar, 1 run
47-0 after 8.2 overs: Smit to Rizwan, 1 run
46-0 after 8.1 overs: Smit to Babar, 1 run
Interesting fact: The last time Pakistan played an unchanged side in four straight T20Is, it was in 2009 and they won the World Cup. Is this a sign of things to come?
Babar Azam 33 (27) Mohammad Rizwan 12 (21)
45-0 after 8 overs: Frylinck to Babar, 1 run
44-0 after 7.5 overs: Frylinck to Babar, 2 runs
42-0 after 7.4 overs: Frylinck to Babar, 2 runs
40-0 after 7.3 overs: Frylinck to Rizwan, 1 run
39-0 after 7.2 overs: Frylinck to Babar, 1 run
38-0 after 7.1 overs: Frylinck to Babar, 2 runs
Mohammad Rizwan 11 (20) Babar Azam 25 (22)
36-0 after 7 overs: Shikongo to Rizwan, 2 runs
34-0 after 6.5 overs: Shikongo to Babar, 1 run
33-0 after 6.4 overs: Shikongo to Babar, 2 runs
31-0 after 6.3 overs: Shikongo to Rizwan, 1 run
30-0 after 6.2 overs: Shikongo to Rizwan, no run
30-0 after 6.1 overs: Shikongo to Babar, 1 run
Babar Azam 21 (19) Mohammad Rizwan 8 (17)
29-0 after 6 overs: Frylinck to Babar, 1 run
28-0 after 5.5 overs: Frylinck to Babar, no run
28-0 after 5.4 overs: Frylinck to Babar, 4 runs
24-0 after 5.3 overs: Frylinck to Rizwan, 1 run
23-0 after 5.2 overs: Frylinck to Rizwan, no run
23-0 after 5.1 overs: Frylinck to Rizwan, no run
Mohammad Rizwan 7 (14) Babar Azam 16 (16)
23-0 after 5 overs: Smit to Rizwan, 1 run
22-0 after 4.5 overs: Smit to Rizwan, 4 runs
18-0 after 4.4 overs: Smit to Rizwan, no run
18-0 after 4.3 overs: Smit to Babar, 1 run
17-0 after 4.2 overs: Smit to Babar, no run
17-0 after 4.1 overs: Smit to Babar, 4 runs
Babar Azam 11 (13) Mohammad Rizwan 2 (11)
13-0 after 4 overs: Wiese to Babar, 1 run
12-0 after 3.5 overs: Wiese to Babar, no run
12-0 after 3.4 overs: Wiese to Babar, no run
12-0 after 3.3 overs: Wiese to Babar, 6 runs
8-0 after 3.2 overs: Wiese to Babar, 2 runs
8-0 after 3.1 overs: Wiese to Babar, 2 runs
Babar Azam 4 (7) Mohammad Rizwan 2 (11)
6-0 after 3 overs: Trumpelmann to Babar, 1 run
5-0 after 2.5 overs: Trumpelmann to Babar, no run
5-0 after 2.4 overs: Trumpelmann to Babar, no run
5-0 after 2.3 overs: Trumpelmann to Rizwan, 1 run
4-0 after 2.2 overs: Trumpelmann to Rizwan, no run
4-0 after 2.1 overs: Trumpelmann to Rizwan, no run
Babar Azam 3 (4) Mohammad Rizwan 1 (8)
4-0 after 2 overs: Wiese to Babar, no run
4-0 after 1.5 overs: Wiese to Babar, no run
4-0 after 1.4 overs: Wiese to Rizwan, 1 run
3-0 after 1.3 overs: Wiese to Rizwan, no run
3-0 after 1.2 overs: Wiese to Babar, 3 runs
0-0 after 1.1 overs: Wiese to Babar, no run
Mohammad Rizwan 0 (6) Babar Azam 0 (0)
0-0 after 1 over: Trumpelmann to Rizwan, no run
0-0 after 0.5 over: Trumpelmann to Rizwan, no run
0-0 after 0.4 over: Trumpelmann to Rizwan, no run
0-0 after 0.3 over: Trumpelmann to Rizwan, no run
0-0 after 0.2 over: Trumpelmann to Rizwan, no run
0-0 after 0.1 over: Trumpelmann to Rizwan, no run
0-0 after 0 over: The first ball of the match is about to be bowled.
6:53pm: National anthems are playing.
6:45pm: The pitch is expected to have some help for fast bowlers. In the light of this, do you think it's the right call to bat first?
6: 38pm: Match odds are in courtesy Bet365:
6:35pm: Pakistan retain the same playing XI despite the size of their opposition. That decision is contrary to the wishes of the fans, who wanted the team to use fringe players, particularly Haider Ali.
Pakistan: 1 Babar Azam (capt), 2 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 3 Fakhar Zaman, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Asif Ali, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Imad Wasim, 9 Hasan Ali, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Shaheen Shah Afridi
Namibia: 1 Stephan Baard, 2 Michael van Lingen, 3 Craig Williams, 4 Gerhard Erasmus (capt), 5 David Wiese, 6 JJ Smit, 7 Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, 8 Zane Green (wk), 9 Jan Frylinck, 10 Ruben Trumpelmann, 11 Ben Shikongo
6:31pm: Pakistan have won the toss and opted to bat first for the first time during this World Cup of theirs.
6:07pm: Interesting fact:
Pakistan have never played a Twenty20 International against Namibia while they won the only ODI between the two sides in the 2003 World Cup (50 overs) with a 171-run margin in South Africa.
5:54pm: This is the start of Dawn.com's live coverage for Pakistan vs Namibia thread.
