Namibia squared off against the United States on Sept. 15th, in the 25th encounter of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 at Windhoek. In a match that resulted in a decisive victory for the U.S.A., they effortlessly chased down Namibia’s total of 199/9, winning by six wickets and with 51 balls to spare.
Namibia batted first and found it difficult to establish momentum throughout their innings. Opening batsmen Michael van Lingen and JP Kotze failed to offer a strong beginning. Van Lingen was removed for 5 off 23 deliveries, caught by Mukkamalla off Juanoy Drysdale’s bowling, while Kotze fell shortly after for 8, trapped lbw by Drysdale, leaving Namibia in a precarious position at 12-2 within the first eight overs.
Jan Frylinck came to Namibia’s aid with a stable innings of 70 off 88 balls, which featured seven boundaries. He received some support from captain Gerhard Erasmus, who contributed 27 off 49 balls, yet the pair struggled to increase the scoring rate. Frylinck’s dismissal in the 35th over left Namibia at 128-5, and they continued to lose wickets regularly thereafter.
JJ Smit made a significant impact with a score of 49 from 75 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes, but Namibia’s innings never truly gained speed. The tail-enders could not add much, with Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (17), Jan-Izak de Villiers (5), and Bernard Scholtz falling cheaply. Smit was bowled by Netravalkar in the 48th over as Namibia concluded their innings with a modest total of 199/9 in their allocated 50 overs.
The U.S. bowlers displayed discipline and maintained control over the run rate. Saurabh Netravalkar spearheaded the attack with figures of 2-41 from his 10 overs, while Juanoy Drysdale was especially economical, achieving 2-16 from six overs. Milind Kumar also showcased his skills, securing 2-18 in five overs, which included the crucial wickets of Erasmus and Malan Kruger. Harmeet Singh and Jasdeep Singh also bowled effectively, contributing to Namibia’s difficulties in building a competitive score.
In pursuit of 200 for victory, the United States began steadily; however, opener Smit Patel was dismissed early for 9, caught by Loftie-Eaton off the delivery from Tangeni Lungameni in the 8th over. Nevertheless, Sushant Modani, who made a swift 36 off 36 balls, and captain Monank Patel, who was in exceptional form, assumed control of the chase. Modani struck two boundaries and two sixes before being run out in the 14th over, but by that point, the U.S. had already established a reliable foundation at 57-2.
Monank Patel led with an authoritative innings of 72 off 82 balls. His performance, marked by seven boundaries and one six, anchored the U.S. innings and kept the required run rate manageable. Patel partnered with Saiteja Mukkamalla, who played a composed and unbeaten innings of 59 off 71 balls, forming a match-winning alliance. Their partnership of 106 runs for the third wicket placed the U.S. firmly in command.
Although Monank Patel was bowled by Gerhard Erasmus in the 33rd over, his work was already accomplished, with the U.S. only needing 37 more runs. Erasmus quickly took another wicket, trapping Milind Kumar lbw for a duck, but it was too late to change the outcome. Shayan Jahangir joined Mukkamalla and ensured no further mishaps, finishing unbeaten on 21 off 33 balls as the U.S. comfortably chased down the target in 41.3 overs.
Ultimately, the United States’ well-rounded bowling attack and robust batting performance led them to a comfortable six-wicket victory, reinforcing their position in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 standings.
Image Source: Monank Patel @ Instagram
