Namibia see off Sri Lanka in World Cup opener

MELBOURNE - Namibia stunned Sri Lanka in the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup match opener in Geelong, Melbourne.

Sri Lanka won the toss and invited Namibia to bat first.

The African minnows made a stuttering start before Jan Frylinck’s 44 and JJ Smit, who made an unbeaten 31, lifted Namibia with their 69-run seventh-wicket stand.

Namibia posted 163-7 after 20 overs.

In their reply, Sri Lanka’s batting opener could not establish themselves at the crease.

Dasun Shanaka’s 29 off of 23 was the highest as Sri Lanka limped to a measly 108-all-out.

David Wiese, Bernard Scholtz, Ben Shikongo and Frylinck took two wickets each as Namibia bagged a 55-run win and set their sights on a second successive Super 12 place after achieving the feat on their T20 World Cup debut last year in the UAE.