Farhan’s Hundred and Tariq’s Fours Wickets Powers Clinical Pakistan Outclass Namibia to Seal Super Eight Spot
COLOMBO: Pakistan stormed into the Super Eight round of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a commanding 102-run win over Namibia at the on Wednesday.
Defending a formidable total of 200, Pakistan’s bowlers dismantled Namibia for just 97 in 17.3 overs.
Namibia began steadily, as Louren Steenkamp and Jan Frylinck added 32 runs for the opening wicket. Frylinck scored 9 off 11 balls before Salman Mirza bowled him. The setback was compounded when Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton was run out for five during the final over of the powerplay, leaving Namibia at 39-2.
Steenkamp attempted to anchor the innings with 23 off 22 balls, striking three fours and a six, but Mohammad Nawaz ended his stay. Captain Gerhard Erasmus also failed to convert his start, falling for seven to Shadab Khan.
Alexander Busing-Volschenk showed some resistance with a 20-ball 20, yet Shadab removed him to claim his second wicket, reducing Namibia to 79-5. From there, the collapse accelerated.
Usman Tariq ripped through the lower order, dismissing JJ Smit and Ruben Trumpelmann in quick succession. Shadab grabbed his third by sending back Zane Green, while Tariq cleaned up Bernard Scholtz and Willem Myburgh to wrap up the innings.
Tariq finished with outstanding figures of 4/16 in 3.3 overs, Shadab picked up three wickets, and both Salman Mirza and Mohammad Nawaz contributed with one each.
Earlier, Pakistan made the most of batting first. Openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan provided early impetus with a brisk 40-run stand before Jack Brassell removed Saim for 14.
Skipper Salman Ali Agha then partnered Farhan in a crucial 67-run second-wicket stand that steadied the innings and pushed Pakistan beyond 100. Agha played a fluent knock of 38 off 23 balls before Brassell struck again.
In a tactical surprise, Babar Azam did not walk in at number three; instead, Khawaja Nafay was promoted but managed only five runs before Erasmus dismissed him.
Farhan, however, remained unstoppable. He reached his tenth T20I half-century before converting it into a memorable maiden T20I hundred, becoming only the second Pakistani batter after Ahmed Shehzad to score a century in a T20 World Cup.
Shadab Khan found his rhythm late in the innings, adding a valuable 36 off 22 balls, as the pair stitched together a 50-run partnership. Farhan carried his bat with a magnificent unbeaten 100 off 58 deliveries, striking 11 fours and four sixes, powering Pakistan to a match-winning total.
