Namibia sealed their place in a fourth consecutive T20 World Cup after a dominant 63-run win over Tanzania in the African qualifier at Harare Sports Club on Thursday. All-rounder JJ Smit was the star of the show, striking an unbeaten 61 and taking 3-16 to guide his side to victory.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Put in to bat, Namibia recovered from a shaky start of 41 for four to post a competitive 174/6 in 20 overs. Smit and captain Gerhard Erasmus, who has led Namibia in their previous three World Cups, added a crucial 88-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Smit’s 43-ball innings included four sixes and a four, while Erasmus contributed 55 off 44 balls with six boundaries.Tanzania struggled in response, with opener Abhik Patwa scoring 31 off 31 deliveries, including a six and three fours, but the rest of the lineup faltered. They were eventually restricted to 111/8 in their 20 overs, never getting close to the required run rate.
Poll
Do you believe Namibia will make it past the group stages in the T20 World Cup?
Ben Shikongo supported Smit with the ball, taking three wickets to ensure a comprehensive win. Namibia thus became the 16th team to qualify for the T20 World Cup, which will be held from February 7 to March 8 and co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.The remaining African qualifying spot will be decided later on Thursday when hosts Zimbabwe face Kenya. Brief Scores:
- Namibia 174/6 (JJ Smit 61, G. Erasmus 55; K. Juma 2-29, A. Kimote 2-41)
- Tanzania 111/8 (A. Patwa 31, M. Suthar 24; Smit 3-16, B. Shikongo 3-21)
- Result: Namibia won by 63 runs
