ICC U-19 World Cup: Canada Keep Quarterfinal Hopes Alive With Win Over Namibia
Nov 2, 2023 at 4:20 PM
Canada kept alive their slim hopes of making it to the quarter-final stage with a four-wicket win over Namibia in Group C on Thursday (January 18) at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln. Canada bowled out Namibia for just 193 before chasing down the total with quite an ease.
It was a case of not capitalizing on starts for Namibia as their top six failed to score big despite getting the starts. Jurgen Linde and Lohandre Louwrens gave the African side a promising start by adding 53 runs for the first wicket before Akash Gill dismissed the former for 25.
Canada did not have to wait long for the second wicket with off-spinner Rommel Shahzad sending back Lohan Louwrens for 38. Shaun Fouche also got the start, racing away to 21 but he took failed to convert it, and as a result, Namibia were three down by the time they reached hundred.
But while the quick wickets put Canada on top, Eben van Wyk and Erich van Mollendorf brought the African side into the contest by adding 51 in 10.1 overs. The partnership laid the foundation for a good total, but the duo’s dismissals in quick succession ended the slim hopes. From there on, Namibia kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and were eventually all out for 193 in 46 overs. Akash Gill was the pick of the bowler for Canada, taking 4 for 43 off his eight overs while Rishiv Raghav Joshi, Rommel Shahzad, and Aran Pathmanathan picked two wickets apiece
In reply, Canada were off to a disastrous start, losing both their openers – Pranav Sharma and Randhir Sandhu – with just 20 runs on the board. However, Gill complemented his four-wicket haul with a good fifty to lay the foundation for the chase. Gill shared a 110-run stand with Arslan Khan to take the wind out of Namibia’s sails. Gill’s dismissal for 52 ended the century-plus stand while Khan went on to score 72.
Khan’s dismissal triggered a mini-collapse as Canada lost three wickets for just six runs but Kevin Singh, who remained unbeaten on 50, ensured that his side reaches home.
Brief score:
Canada 197 for 6 ( Khan 72, Gill 52, Petrus Burger 2-29) beat Namibia 193 for 10 ( Louwrens 38, Gill 4-43)
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