T20 World Cup: Namibia stun Sri Lanka with 55-run win as tournament begins with upset | Cricket News

Namibia shock 2014 T20 World Cup champions Sri Lanka in the opening game of 2022 tournament in Australia; Sri Lanka rolled for 108 chasing 164 for victory; Jan Frylinck who starred with bat and ball for Namibia says, “what we’ve just achieved is above what we thought we could do”

Namibia all-rounder Jan Frylinck (left) starred with bat and ball as his side shocked Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup opener

Sri Lanka slumped to a shock 55-run defeat to Namibia in the opening game of the T20 World Cup with the 2014 champions crumbling in a chase of 164 in Geelong.

Sri Lanka, viewed as the strong favourites to win Group A and advance to England’s Super 12 group after triumphing at the recent Asia Cup, were rolled for 108 in exactly 19 overs as Namibia pulled off a famous victory.

Namibia bowlers David Wiese, Bernard Scholtz, Ben Shikongo and Jan Frylinck each picked up two wickets during Sri Lanka’s bungled reply – Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka top-scoring for his side with a paltry 29.

Frylinck (44 off 28 balls) and JJ Smit (31 off 16) had earlier played crucial roles with the bat for Namibia, plundering 68 from the final five overs as they rallied their side from 93-6 to 163-7 at Kardinia Park.

Namibia are now dreaming of a second successive Super 12 appearance having qualified for that stage last year in their maiden T20 World Cup but Sri Lanka can afford no further errors as they take on UAE on Tuesday and then Netherlands two days later.

Player of the Match Frylinck said: “I’m a little bit speechless at the moment. What we’ve just achieved is above what we thought we could do and I’m very just excited at this point in time.”