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On the final day of the preliminary round of the 2021 T20 World Cup, Namibia and Ireland face off in a do-or-die match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The teams have two points each, and a win in this encounter would guarantee them a spot in the Super 12 phase.
Namibia's T20 World Cup campaign got off to a poor start as they were bowled out for 96 by Sri Lanka, who chased down the total with over six overs to spare. But Gerhard Erasmus' side roared back in admirable fashion in their next game to record a six-wicket win and knock the Netherlands out of the competition.
Meanwhile, Ireland lost their previous game of the T20 World Cup by a whopping 70 runs to Sri Lanka. However, the Irishmen's victory over the Netherlands has given them a real chance of qualifying for the next stage of the marquee ICC event.
T20 World Cup 2021: Super 12 spot directly on the line as Namibia and Ireland gear up for stern test
Ireland's batting lineup had no answers to the varied Sri Lankan bowling attack in the previous game. While the pace trio picked up five wickets, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana kept things tight with their guile and craft. Andy Balbirnie was the only man to face over 30 balls as nine batters registered single-figure scores.
While Namibia's bowling attack certainly isn't as well-rounded or penetrative, Ireland will have a task on their hands to keep the likes of Bernard Scholtz at bay. Interestingly, Namibia used only five bowlers in their previous game, after using as many as eight in their first game of the T20 World Cup. They might need to rely on a few overs from their part-timers to control Ireland's run-scoring.
David Wiese was the match-winner for Namibia against the Netherlands as he smashed 66 off just 40 balls to break a run of poor scores. Captain Erasmus and all-rounder JJ Smit, who've got several starts in the recent past, will be eyeing a telling contribution as well.
For Ireland, Josh Little has been immense with the ball, with five wickets in the T20 World Cup's first round so far. He has had some help from Mark Adair and Curtis Campher in flashes, but the other supporting bowlers - Simi Singh in particular - have been far from consistent.
While Namibia's top three of Zane Green, Craig Williams and Stephan Baard haven't delivered yet, Ireland will be wary of the threat they possess. Baard and Williams were in excellent nick ahead of the T20 World Cup and are due a good performance.
Overall, Namibia and Ireland are well-matched on paper and should fight it out in a close game. While it isn't easy to predict a winner, the slow wicket expected to be on offer in Sharjah could counter the short boundaries at the ground. This could play into the hands of Ireland, who could plug the holes in their playing XI with some assistance from the conditions.
Namibia cannot be ruled out, but Ireland's experience and clarity of plans could prove to be decisive in Sharjah.
Prediction: Ireland to win Match 11 of the T20 World Cup
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