The rain has haunted the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 with several games being abandoned. After India's clash against Canada in Florida was called off, all eyes were on Antigua where England needed a win to stay alive in the race to Super 8s. The rain gods finally had mercy on the defending champions and a 10 overs per side game was possible. Despite skipper Jos Buttler getting out for a four-ball duck, Harry Brook's unbeaten 20-ball 47 and other cameos helped England post 122/5 which was fairly enough to defend against Namibia. The 41-run win all but confirmed England’s spot in the Super 8.
Horrible start
Keeping the conditions in mind, Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus won the toss and opted to bowl first. David Wiese started with a brilliant over conceding just one run. In the second over, Ruben Trumpelmann knocked Buttler over. Phil Salt used the fielding restrictions hitting two boundaries in the over before becoming Wiese's victim in the next over. In the fourth over, Jonny Bairstow hit the first six of the innings. After five overs, England were 39/2. Brook accelerated and hit Jack Brassell for a six and a four to push the scoring rate. The fifty-run partnership was completed in the seventh over.
All out attack
Bairstow fell to Bernard Scholtz in the eighth over after an 18-ball 31. Moeen Ali did not take much time to settle and smashed a six off the second ball he faced. Rain played spoilsport again. After the break, Brook hit Brassell for a six and two fours in the penultimate over. In the final over, Ali hit a six before falling to Trumpelmann. Liam Livingstone hit a couple of sixes to light up Antigua. He got run out off the last ball as England posted 122/5. Brook remained unbeaten for a 20-ball 47. Since one over was lost due to rain, Namibia were given a revised target of 126.
Wiese walks in too late
Reece Topley started England's defense with a no ball but came back well to concede just one run in the over. Michael van Lingen targetted Jofra Archer and hit the first six of the innings. Namibia could not get the start they wanted. Nikolaas Davin hit the first six of his knock in the fourth over but boundaries were not regular. After six overs, Namibia had 44 runs on the board. Davin was retired out to bring Wiese in the middle. He got off the mark with a boundary. In the eighth over, he hit Adil Rashid for a couple of sixes and a four. Despite Wiese's strikes, the required run rate had slipped out of Namibia's grasp. Lingen hit Chris Jordan for a six before departing for a 29-ball 33 in the penultimate over. In the final over, Wiese returned to the dugout after a 12-ball 27 cameo. Namibia managed to post 84/3 and lost the match by 41 runs.
Mountain to climb for Scotland
The win helped England get their net run rate (NRR) past Australia who have already qualified for the Super 8 stage. England will get knocked out only if Scotland beat the mighty Australians.
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