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Namibia's Gerhard Erasmus played the perfect captain's knock against Uganda at the United Cricket Club Ground, Windhoek. Erasmus became the first Namibia captain to score a T20I century. Also, only second Namibia batter to breach the three figures in the T20 format.
Erasmus rescues Namibia
Erasmus helped Namibia recover from a scratchy start in the powerplay overs. After losing opener Stephan Baard, Craig Williams played a painstakingly slow knock. Williams scored just eight runs from 19 deliveries before Riazat Ali Shah got his wicket in the ninth over.
Erasmus walked in to bat and started hammering the bowlers straightaway. The wickets of wicketkeeper-batter JP Kotze and JJ Smit did not affect Erasmus as he hit nine fours and seven sixes in his 100-run knock off just 47 deliveries. The 26-year-old’s knock helped Namibia post 177/4 despite a troubled start. He targetted the likes of Henry Ssenyondo and Dinesh Nakrani to single-handedly help Namibia post a fighting total.
Impressive with ball too
Defending the total, Namibia had their tails up with skipper Erasmus taking the wicket of opener Simon Ssesazi in his first over. Ssesazi got out for a three-ball duck. In his next over, he got the wicket of opener Arnold Otwani as well, reducing Uganda for 24/2 in the fourth over.
Skipper's ton in vain
After Kenneth Wasiva got out in the ninth over after a run-a-ball 24, Uganda were still struggling with required run rate going above 10 runs per over. However, Ali Shah and Nakrani punished Namibia bowlers Tangeni Lungameni, Dylan Leicher and Smit to get their team back in the run chase. While Shah played a calculative knock, Nakrani made the run chase look easy. In the end, Smit failed to defend eight runs in the final over as they got over the line with one ball to spare.
Ali Shah remained not out for 57 off 43 deliveries including four fours and three sixes. On the other end, the Saurashtra-born batter Nakrani scored 77 runs from 39 deliveries including eight fours and three sixes.
Erasmus' T20 WC run
This is a huge win for Uganda as they are ranked 25th in the International Cricket Council’s T20I rankings whereas Namibia are ranked 16th.
Last year, Erasmus led Namibia in the T20 World Cup 2021. He scored 12 runs from 20 deliveries against India and was dismissed by veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. He also scored a half-century against Ireland as well.
