Namibia stand in New Zealand's way on journey to semis

MATCH CENTRE | STANDINGS

Halfway into the Super 12 stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021, New Zealand are clear about what they have to do: After two wins in three games, they are third on the Group 2 table. If they win their final two matches, they will jump ahead of Afghanistan to claim that second position, which will confirm a spot in the semi-finals.

The first of those two must-win matches is against Namibia in Sharjah. Scotland gave New Zealand a good fight in their previous game, so the Black Caps will be wary of underestimating the threat that can be posed by the Associate Nation.

New Zealand have been clinical in their performances so far, keeping it simple and doing well to win the crunch moments against India and Scotland. Against Pakistan, they were in the game for long periods of time until Asif Ali's late six-hitting took the game away.

Their biggest challenge is the quick turnaround and the change in conditions to Sharjah. "It's pretty full on. All day games as well. So it takes a lot of out of you," said Mitchell Santner, New Zealand's left-arm spinner, adding that the team was focussed on rest and recovery when they could.

"The biggest adjustment [we need to make] – obviously there's a bit of difference playing in Sharjah versus outside the other two grounds. In New Zealand you're looking for a bit of bounce, trying to bowl hard length into the wicket, get a bit of bounce, and you don't really get that at Sharjah, where it actually sits up," he added.

"The guys that have done well at Sharjah are the guys that are skiddier out in the front and keeping it low. That's probably the biggest adjustment for me and Ish [Sodhi] where in the past you look for that over-spin and bounce, it's a little less effective in Sharjah."

Namibia, too, mathematically still have a chance to qualify for the semi-final, but they will be taking one match at a time, keen to first put in performances that ensure they are constantly competing with the higher-ranked sides.

Fixture details

• The match: New Zealand v Namibia, match 36
• Time: 14:00pm, Friday 5 November 2021
• Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium

New Zealandhave worked like a symphony, with several players doing their bit in well-defined roles. Martin Guptill's power-packed 93 against Scotland was perhaps the first big example of individual brilliance from them. It marked a welcome return to prominence for the New Zealand opener, and a good sign for the team going into last few games. They are unlikely to make changes.

Probable XI: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (capt), Devon Conway (wk), Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi.

Namibiacould bring back Bernard Scholtz, the left-arm spinner, especially if the Sharjah surface has something for spin. They have tweaked their opening combination for a few games, but might stick to the Stephan Baard-Michael van Lingen one for another game. There are injury concerns over their captain Gerhard Erasmus, who has been managing a long-standing finger injury with injections.

Probable XI: Stephan Baard, Michael van Lingen, Craig Williams, Gerhard Erasmus (capt), David Wiese, JJ Smit, Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Zane Green (wk), Jan Frylinck, Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz

**Ish Sodhi:**The New Zealand leg-spinner has stood out for his consistency, picking up six wickets in three games so far. Those are among the 23 wickets he's picked up so far this year, at an excellent strike rate of 9.9. Bowling in tandem with Santner, who plays a holding role, allows him to go on the attack.

**Ruben Trumpelmann:**The Namibian left-arm pacer has been a handful in the Powerplay, especially when he can get a bit of swing. But he is as useful later in the game, where he makes good use of the crease and can send down cutters.

Captaincy Pick – Trent Boult

The left-arm pacer has been a consistent performer for New Zealand in the T20 World Cup having picked up six wickets in three matches. He also has an impressive record in T20Is while playing in Asia where he takes a wicket every 11.1 balls. His consistency and track record in the format make him the top captaincy pick of the match.

Must-have – David Wiese

The Namibia all-rounder is a must-have in a fantasy team given his impressive form in the ongoing T20 World Cup where he has accumulated 185 runs and chipped in with five wickets in six matches played. Adding to it, his wealth of experience across T20 leagues makes him an irresistible choice in a fantasy team.

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If New Zealand win, they will climb to second on the group, with six points from four games. If Namibia win, they will join Afghanistan and New Zealand on four points each, but will likely be fourth because of net run rate.

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Mitchell Santner, New Zealand spinner:"They are [dangerous] for sure. Especially in T20 cricket. There's an upset just around the corner. We've got to be ready ... We've seen the wicket at Sharjah can be tricky, and it brings both teams back into it. Namibia have played some good cricket. And so we've just got to be ready for that, ready for what the pitch is going to bring, [and ready for] a day game is obviously something new again in Sharjah."

David Wiese, Namibia all-rounder:"We know New Zealand are a tough opposition. They've got world-class players there. And we're again being seen as the underdogs in the game, but we've played the games at Sharjah before, we've had a bit of success at Sharjah, and we think it's a wicket that could suit our type of bowling. So we've done our prep. We've got a final training session this afternoon. We'll go there try to nail our skills. And T20 cricket at the end of the day, you know, one person can take the game away from the opposition. And if it's your day you can stand up and be that man of the match performance and you never know what can happen."