Dominant death batting display helps New Zealand see off Namibia

Labouring on 96 for 4 after 16 overs, Jimmy Neesham and Glenn Phillips score 67 runs off the final four overs to push the Black Caps beyond 160 and demolish hopes of a Namibian upset

Sharjah: New Zealand 163-4, Namibia 111-7 - New Zealand won by 52 runs

Scorecard

Jimmy Neesham and Glenn Phillips put on fireworks with the bat at the death to set-up a 52-run victory for New Zealand against Namibia in Sharjah.

The duo scored 67 runs off the final four overs to push the Black Caps beyond the 160-mark after their side had earlier struggled against Namibia’s spinners. The Associate nation batted solidly in their chase, but couldn’t match New Zealand’s power.

New Zealand enjoyed the best of the powerplay, posting a solid 43 for 1 after favouring consistent strike rotation and strong running over wild swinging. Martin Guptill’s departure for 18 at the start of the fifth over, caught by Ruben Trumplemann at mid-off (bowled David Wiese), was the only real blemish on their scorecard.

The next 10 overs, however, belonged to Namibia, who restricted New Zealand to just 96 for 4 at the end of the 16th over.

Daryl Mitchell was removed with the second ball after the powerplay, squirting a delivery from Bernard Scholtz high into the off side and into the waiting hands of Michael van Lingen.

^{Tim Southee celebrates the wicket of David Wiese}

A laboured 38-run (35 balls) stand between Kane Williamson and Devon Conway followed before the former chopped Gerhard Erasmus onto his own stumps to depart for 28. And Conway followed 12 balls later, brilliantly runout by Erasmus and bowler Karl Birkenstock for 17.

Phillips and Neesham took two overs to settle into their partnership before erupting in the final four overs, blasting 67 runs, including five sixes and two fours, to help New Zealand close on 163 for 4.

Their unbeaten 76-run partnership, scored off just 36 balls, was the highest fifth-wicket partnership for New Zealand at a T20 World Cup. Neesham closed on 35 not out off 23 balls while Phillips was 39 off 21.

Stephan Baard and van Lingen safely navigated the powerplay for Namibia, reaching 36 for 0 after punishing Adam Milne for 12 runs off the sixth over, before the latter was bowled by Neesham for 25 in the eighth.

Baard followed five balls later, bowled by Santner for 21, and skipper Erasmus then edged a delivery from Ish Sodhi through to keeper Conway to reduce Namibia to 56 for 3 at the 10-over mark.

Wiese and wicketkeeper Zane Green shared a 31-run fourth-wicket stand to get the scoreboard moving and each hit a six off Sodhi in an expensive 14th over. Their success would, however, be short-lived, with Tim Southee removing Wiese lbw in the following over to pick up his first of the day.

Southee snared his second in the 18th over, Trent Boult taking a tumbling catch at long-on to remove Green for 23, and it was the first of three wickets to fall for just three runs. In the penultimate over, Boult removed Loftie-Eaton (caught Guptill) and Craig Williams (caught Phillips) as Namibia collapsed to 105 for 7. They closed on 111 for 7, 53 runs shy of victory.