Two last-over finishes in the two playoff matches on Wednesday ended with Netherlands and Hong Kong clinching a spot for participation in next year’s ICC World Twenty20.
Afghanistan looked favourites to be one of the team to qualify for the most part against Hong Kong, but handed the initiative at the death to have their opponents cross the winning line off the last ball, and Netherlands displayed discipline that has been their hallmark to restrict Namibia to 135 for 6, and although there were jitters during their chase, they got the win eventually comfortably.
Afghanistan looked to go after the bowling from the start after winning the toss. Nawroz Mangal, who opened the batting with Mohammad Shahzad, scored an attacking half-century, his first in this tournament, decorated with six fours and two sixes. The urge to hit balls out of the ground seemed to affect most of their batsmen, who played a number of quiet balls before randomly deciding to step down the track and heave with all might. Asghar Stanikzai, Samiullah Shenwari, Mohammad Nabi, and Shafiqullah, all chipped in with a few big hits to take their team to 161 for 7. Haseeb Amjad, the seamer, took three wickets for Hong Kong. In reply, Jamie Atkinson, the opener, scored 47 off 47 balls, and was the backbone of Hong Kong’s chase. They struggled to catch up with the climbing required run-rate for the most part, and medium-fast bowler Mirwais Ashraf, in particular, proved difficult to score of. Ashraf gave away 22 runs off his four overs, with a six hit and no fours, and took a wicket. UPDATES: Day 12, ICC World twenty20 Qualifier 2015
The penultimate over bowled by Dawlat Zadran had Hong Kong’s batsmen scampering runs and forcing a misfield, to take nine runs from it. With 16 needed from the final over bowled by Mohammad Nabi, Mark Chapman, the batsman smart with the planning and execution of his boundary hits, departed caught in the deep on the first ball. But a twist was to follow. A six was hit straight down the ground off the third ball, and before that, a four was hit. A wide was also bowled, bringing the target to two needed from two balls. But on the penultimate ball of the match, the captain Tanwir Afzal was run out, and no runs were given: the full toss had the batsman mistiming the ball straight to the bowler, and there was no time to complete a single. The ball was hit to deep extra-cover in the final ball, and a clumsy throw meant Hong Kong were able to complete the two runs and book a berth in the coveted tournament next year.
Netherlands’ victory against Namibia wasn’t so dramatic, but this match was also tight. Batting first, Namibia were stifled by a persistent Netherlands’ attack. The left-arm spinners Michael Rippon, Roelof van der Merwe and Pieter Seelaar proed difficult bowlers to score of. Namibia had lost their openers with only five on the board, in the second over. Although a healthy partnership, of 57, ensued, between Craig Williams and Raymond van Schoor, the run-rate not allowed to rise. These batsmen also got out within two overs of each other, in the 10th and 12th overs respectively, and Sarel Burger and Nicolaas Scholtz took the responsibility to accelerate. Scholtz struck three sixes and a four in his 23-ball 37 to help his team end up with a run-rate of about seven an over. ICC World T20 Qualifier 2015: Fixture of Playoffs, Semi-Finals and Final
Netherlands started their chase late, due to a rain delay, but lost their first wicket from the first ball of the game, that of wicketkeeper Wesley Barresi. The other opener, Stephan Myburgh, struck six fours in quick time to get the chase moving. The middle-order batsmen all made contributions, but left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz took crucial wickets and dried up the scoring to give them jitters. The win was clinched in the second ball of the final over, when with three needed from five balls, Mudassar Bukhari smashed a boundary through extra-cover.
The two losing teams will still have a chance to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 2016, but they will have to beat their respective opponents in the next round of qualifiers. Afghanistan will play Papua New Guinea, and Namibia will play Oman. The winner of these games, which are to be played on Friday, will fill the last two vacant positions. The itinerary of the playoffs, and the semi-finals and the final, can be accessed here.
Brief Scores:
Afghanistan 161 for 7 in 20 overs (Nawroz Mangal 53, Asghar Stanikzai 29; Haseeb Amjad 3 for 28) lost to Hong Kong 162 for 5 in 20 overs (Atkinson 47, Nizakat Khan 26; Shapoor Zadran 2 for 31) by five wickets
Namibia 135 for 6 in 20 overs (Craig Williams 43, Sarel Burger 27, Nicolaas Scholtz 37; Timm van der Gugten 2 for 22) lost to Netherlands 137 for 6 in 19.2 overs (Stephan Myburgh 31, Michael Swart 28; Bernard Scholtz 3 for 15) by four wickets
