Sri Lanka, the champions of this competition in 2012, secured a place in the second round with a 16-run win over the Netherlands and as the winners of Group A will now enter Group 1 of the Super 12, which includes England, Australia, New Zealand. Afghanistan and another qualifier are yet to come.
However, Namibia slipped to a dramatic seven-run defeat to the United Arab Emirates, falling to 69-7 within 13 overs in a chase of 149, before a 44-ball tie between David Wiese (55 off 36) and Reuben. Rally from the eighth wicket stand of 70. Trumpelman (25 off 24) and then ended Namibia’s innings at 141-8.
Namibia’s hopes of a place in the Super 12 for the second year in a row were dashed, the UAE celebrated their first win at the T20 World Cup, and the Netherlands’ progress in the main stage was confirmed.
The Netherlands will now play India, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh and another qualifier in Group 2 of the Super 12, with the full line-up to be confirmed on Friday when a hotly-contestant Group B concludes in Hobart.
Ireland will play two-time champions West Indies in the opening game (8 pm). Earlier Scotland will face Zimbabwe (1 pm) with the winners of both matches to qualify for the next stage.
Each team has so far won two matches, with Scotland topping the group on net run rate, followed by Zimbabwe, West Indies and Ireland.
Netherlands opener Max O’Dowd (71 off 53) kept his team chasing 163 as wickets fell at the other end before the Netherlands finished at 146-9.
Netherlands needed 54 off the last 18 balls but were reduced to 23 in the last as O’Dowd hit three consecutive fours off Binura Fernando in the 18th over before Mahesh Thikshana’s 19th over came with 16 runs.
Sri Lanka seamer Lahiru Kumara conceded only six runs in the final over, however, his team registered two consecutive victories since their crushing defeat to Namibia in their opening match.
Kusal Mendis had earlier scored 162-6 runs for Sri Lanka after scoring 79 runs in 44 balls.
The defeat of the Netherlands left him hoping that the result of Namibia vs UAE went in his favor and this is what happened.
Namibia looked toast in the 13th over, but boundary-hitting from Wiese – he hit three sixes and as many fours – and standing with Trumpelman on the African side needed 14 from the last six balls.
Muhammad Wasim – who had earlier hit a half-century for UAE with the bat – conceded just four runs in the first three balls of the over and was then caught by Wiese at long-on boundary off the next ball.