New Delhi, India
Namibia pulled off a shock win over Sri Lanka in their opening game in the qualifiers as T20 World Cup 2022 got underway in Australia on Sunday (October 16). In one of the upsets of the tournament, 14th-ranked Namibia were a no-match to Sri Lanka, who are the reigning Asia Cup champions and were outright favourites ahead of the clash.
Namibia and Sri Lanka are among eight teams battling it out in the qualifiers for the remaining four spots in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup. While Namibia and Sri Lanka are part of Group A along with UAE and Netherlands, Group B consists of West Indies, Scotland, Zimbabwe and Ireland.
While West Indies and Sri Lanka were clear favourites to top their respective groups, Namibia's shocking win over Sri Lanka on Sunday has blown Group A wide open. Namibia produced an excellent all-round performance at the Simonds Stadium in Geelong to post a strong total of 163 runs on the board before bundling out the Asia Cup champions for a paltry 108 runs to secure a thumping 55-run win.
What can Sri Lanka's shock defeat mean for Rohit Sharma-led India?
Namibia's surprising victory over Sri Lanka can complicate things for the Indian team and have huge ramifications on the entire tournament. As per the ICC rules, the top two teams from the two qualifying groups will progress into the Super 12 stage.
While the table toppers from Group B and the second-ranked team from Group A will join India's Group 2 in the Super 12 stage, the table toppers from Group A and the second-ranked team from Group B will join Group 1 in the Super 12.
Sri Lanka's defeat means the Asia Cup champions might not finish on top in Group A with significant chances of them finishing second behind Namibia, who are well-placed to top the group. West Indies, on the other hand, remain favourites to Group B and might join Sri Lanka in the Group 2 of Super 12.
Also Read: Namibia stun Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup 2022, inflict 55-run defeat
India's group in the Super 12 already consists of the likes of Pakistan, South Africa and Bangladesh. The arrival of the likes of West Indies and Sri Lanka can further complicate matters for the Men in Blue as the battle for the top two spots will be an intense one between the six teams in Group 2.
Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka had recently defeated India in the recently-concluded Asia Cup in the UAE while South Africa and West Indies possess the ability to stun the best of the teams on their day.