5 factors from Scotland’s iconic win over Namibia | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024

Namibia’s early jitters

Nambia made a change at the top of the order, bringing in JP Kotze instead of Michael van Lingen and the left-hander walked back without doing any damage.

At 19/2, Scotland’s opening bowlers were all over Namibia like a rash. When Chris Sole removed Niko Daavin, Namibia seemed lost at 37/3. 

Enter Gerhard Erasmus

Erasmus entered the contest with an SR of just 109.7 in the last two years, but he was up for the contest, starting with the second ball when he smacked Mark Watt for a massive six. 

He just took off from there, scoring 46 off 23 against the spinners. He showed a range of shots, from sweeping to dancing down the track, helping Namibia recover. 

Brad Wheal inspires the Scottish bowling unit

With Scotland not getting a chance to bowl at the big guns England, Brad Wheal unleashed a beast version of himself with an early wicket of Kotze. Coming back at the death, Wheal removed both David Wiese and Zane Green in the space of just three deliveries.

It was the fifth-best figures for a Scottish bowler in the T20 World Cup history, and who better than Wheal? 

Zane Green makes an impact – both with bat and gloves

When Namibia struggled for answers, Zane Green stepped up with the gloves. If not for Green’s presence of mind to take the ball and effect the stumping, Brandon McMullen would have still been at the crease. 

Not just that, earlier in the day, it was Green’s cameo lower down the order – a 27-ball 28 that helped Namibia get past the 150-run mark. 

Leask-Berrington partnership buries Namibia

With 83 required off 54 balls, Scotland needed a pair to counter Namibia, and that’s what Michael Leask and Richie Berrington did. The duo put on a 42-ball 74-run partnership, where Leask did much of the work, scoring a 17-ball 35, a knock that consisted of four sixes, the joint-most hit by any Scottish batter in T20 World Cup history.

It helped Scotland break their losing streak against Namibia.

If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out — big time. Play Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.