Pakistan clinched the last remaining Super Eight berth at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with a resounding 102-run win over Namibia in a key Group A clash at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Wednesday.
Sahibzada Farhan overcame cramps to notch an unbeaten hundred and take Pakistan to 199 for 3 in a pressure match after they had elected to bat. Namibia fell well short, folding at 97 to wrap up their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign.
Namibia had inspired hope as they raced to 32-run opening partnership. Left-arm pacer Salman Mirza provided the breakthrough as rushed through the defences of Jan Frylinck.
Once Pakistan spinners came into the attack, Namibia were unable to piece together a recovery. Louren Steenkamp (23) and Alexander Volschenk (20) were the only Namibian batters to register double figures.
Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz (one for 22), leg-spinner Shadab Khan (3 for 19) and Usman Tariq (4 for 16) spun a web of mystery around the batters to complete Pakistan biggest win in men’s T20 World Cup.
Earlier in the day, it wasn’t the most fluent start for Pakistan, but they put 47 for 1 on the board in powerplay. The former champions switched gears in the ninth over, scoring 22 runs off leg-spinner Willem Myburgh. Captain Salman Agha began the over by dancing down the track to hit a six straight down the ground, before Farhan hit two successive sixes.
There was a little wobble in the middle as Agha and Khawaja Nafay departed in quick succession. Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus put the skids on the scoring rate with some smart bowling and sent back Nafay caught and bowled.
However, Farhan continued to press on. He employed the sweep shot to good effect during his incredible knock under pressure. His second fifty came off just 20 balls, as Farhan finished at 100 off 58. It was the first T20I hundred for him and only the second in men’s T20 World Cup by a Pakistani batter.
Brief scores: Pakistan 199 for three in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 100 not out, Salman Agha 38, Shadab Khan 36 not out; Jack Brassell 2/48) beat Namibia 97 in 17.3 overs (Louren Steenkamp 23, Alexander Busing-Volschenk 20; Usman Tariq 4/16, Shadab Khan 3/19).
