Scotland outclassed Namibia by five wickets in match 12 of the T20 World Cup 2024 at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Thursday.
Skipper Richie Berrington and Michael Leask executed impactful knocks, completing the chase in the 19th over.
Scotland had hurdles in intervals at the start of the chase. They lost George Munsey (7) in the fourth over as he was dismissed by Tangeni Lungameni.
Munsey's partner Michael Jones was looking to get set but Namibian skipper Gerhard Erasmus, with his off spin, provided a timely dismissal. He made 26 runs off 20 balls which included 3 fours and a six.
Brandon McMullen (19) was stumped by wicketkeeper Green off Erasmus while Matthew Cross (1) departed courtesy of an LBW from Bernard Scholtz.
Scottish skipper Berrington and Leask partnered for the fifth wicket and took away the game from Namibia. A 72-run stand was enough for them to register their first-ever win over the Eagles in the format.
Leask smashed four sixes in his 17-ball 35 before getting dismissed in the 18th over. Berrington remained unbeaten on 35-ball 47 as he finished the chase with a six off David Wiese.
Earlier, captain Erasmus anchored his team's innings with a crucial half-century as they scored 155/9.
Erasmus's knock of 52 off 31 balls, featuring five fours and two sixes, steered his team back on track for a competitive total after Namibia found themselves struggling at 19 for 2 early on, having chosen to bat first. Erasmus was eventually stumped off the bowling of Leask.
However, Scotland owed much to the seam-bowling pair of Brad Wheal and Brad Currie for restricting Namibia from a total that appeared to be heading towards 170, particularly with David Wiese, their super over hero from the opening match victory over Oman, at the crease.
Wheal, who dismissed J.P. Kotze in the first over, went on to take the wickets of Wiese and wicketkeeper-batsman Zane Green (28), finishing with impressive figures of three for 33.
Currie (two for 16), who shared the new ball with Wheal, returned at the death to ensure Namibia were kept in check, with four wickets falling in the final two overs.
