ICC Men's T20 WC: England beats Namibia, keeps title hopes alive

North Sound/Antigua: In a tournament that regularly got disrupted by heavy rains with entire matches getting cancelled, a victim of the same, England is struggling to keep its Super 8 hopes alive. On Saturday, England made a 40-run victory against Namibia. Namibia gave England openers a really hard time at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium here.

The India-Canada match was abandoned without bowling a ball after heavy rains. The match was abandoned just an hour after the scheduled start. However, unbeaten India has already qualified for Super 8. India will play Afghanistan in the Super 8 match.

Persistent showers almost ruined England's chances, but the match started three hours late and was reduced to 11 overs, then 10 overs after another heavy shower.

England was made to bat first and rallied to 122-5.

Namibia, given a rain-adjusted target of 126, managed only 84-3 and lost by 41 runs.

England did what it had to, then had to wait a few more hours, hoping Scotland lost to Australia in Saint Lucia to be sure of advancing from Group B.

England was anxious for most of the day, thanks to the weather. It had already suffered one washout — its opener against Scotland — and a second washout in four group games would have sent it home.

Because of what was at stake, the umpires waited as long as possible at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium to get play underway.

England lost the plot early. Only one run was taken from the opening over bowled by 39-year-old David Wiese. Captain Jos Buttler was bowled for a duck by fast bowler Ruben Trumpelmann, and Wiese returned to nick out the other opener, Phil Salt.

England was 13-2 after 13 balls.

Jonny Bairstow and Harry Brook counterattacked. Bairstow made 31 off 18 balls just before the last rain delay. Brook finished with an unbeaten 47 off 20 and had late support from Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone, who both contributed to taking 21 runs off the last over.

Namibia's chase was relatively fast but not fast enough. Opener Michael van Lingen, after 33 off 29, was pulled out under the pretence of retiring hurt, and Wiese inserted to up the run rate. He duly delivered 27 off 12, but it was too late.

Based on PTI report