Pakistan grabs Super 8 spot at T20 World Cup. India wins toss and bats against the Netherlands
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sahibzada Farhan smashed his first T20 century and Usman Tariq confused Namibia with his mystery spin as Pakistan secured its Super 8 spot at cricket’s Twenty20 World Cup with a 102-run win on Wednesday.
Opening batter Farhan made 100 not out off 58 balls with four sixes and 11 boundaries. Captain Salman Ali Agha hit 38, and Farhan and Shadab Khan (36 not out) carried Pakistan to 199-3 in the Group A game in Colombo.
Tariq, who has a distinctive pause-and-bowl action, then grabbed 4-16 and Khan took 3-19 as Namibia was dismissed for 97 in 17.3 overs, its fourth straight loss in the group.
Earlier at New Delhi, South Africa chased down a victory target of 123 with 40 balls to spare to finish the group stage unbeaten in Group D. Second-place New Zealand also advanced from that group to the Super 8s.
Pakistan needed a win at Sinhalese Sports Club to end any hope for the United States and Farhan’s blazing century provided the 2009 champion with a strong total.
Farhan’s second fifty came off just 20 balls. Khan provided a late flurry, smashing three sixes in his innings.
Namibia opener Louren Steenkamp top-scored in the chase with a 22-ball 23 and Alexander Busing-Volschenk (20) was the other batter to reach double figures as Pakistan’s spinners struck at regular intervals.
Tariq bowled a double-wicket maiden over and baffled the middle order with his sharp googlies and carrom balls as Namibia lost six wickets for just 18 runs after collapsing from 79-4.
South Africa stays unbeaten
South Africa opted to field first and restricted United Arab Emirates to 122-6, with veteran pace bowlers Corbin Bosch returning 3-12 from four overs and Anrich Nortje taking 2-28.
The South Africans raced to 123-4 in 13.2 overs, taking the last seven runs in singles after their fourth wicket fell.
Rain showers delayed the start of South Africa’s reply and then the first over netted just one run.
But from that point on, the Proteas accelerated to victory by adding 13 runs off the second over and 18 from the third until Haider Ali bowled skipper Aiden Markram for 28 from 11 balls — all but two of his runs coming from boundaries.
Dewald Brevis led the scoring with 36 before he was out within two scoring shots of victory, and Ryan Rickelton scored 30 as the 2024 runners-up dominated the bowling.
For the UAE, Alishan Sharafu led the scoring with 45 from 38 deliveries before he was caught in the outfield off Nortje’s bowling in the 18th over.
It was South Africa’s fourth consecutive win in the tournament, including a double-tiebreaker victory over 2024 semifinalist Afghanistan that required two Super Overs.
The South Africans rested David Miller, frontline spinner Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi ahead of the Super 8 stage.
India bats first
Tournament co-host India, which has already advanced to the Super 8s, won the toss and chose to bat first against the Netherlands at Ahmedabad.
It’s the last game in Group A.
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