Live Cricket Score, Ireland vs Namibia, Desert T20 2017: Ireland win by 5 wickets

Welcome to CricketCountry’s coverage of Match 7 of the Desert T20 2017 Challenge match between Ireland and Namibia at Sheikh Zayed Stadium at Abu Dhabi.

Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s coverage of Match 7 of the Desert T20 2017 Challenge match between Ireland and Namibia at Sheikh Zayed Stadium at Abu Dhabi. Both Namibia and Ireland lost their opening matches and will be looking to register their first win of the competition. While Namibia lost their match to United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 6 wickets, Ireland were crushed by Afghanistan by 5 wickets. This match will not be a T20 International (T20I) match like the other games. Namibia is yet to get a T20I status and as a result, all matches played against them will count as just T20 matches.

Ireland had set Afghanistan a modest target of 126 to win in their first match. Afghanistan were cruising along well, till leg-spinner Jacob Mulder came in and picked up 2 for 23 in his 4 overs. Afghanistan nevertheless managed to get over the line and win the match by 5 wickets and 8 balls to spare. Namibia however came within touching distance of causing an upset. They managed to pull the match right till the final ball, but ended up second best. Namibia had scored 152 in their first innings thanks to a fifty from JP Kotze and a quickfire 32 from skipper Sarel Burger.

Complete Schedule: Desert T20 Challenge 2017

Despite of running three UAE batsmen out, Namibia could not get the job done. With 7 needed off the final over, UAE got over the line off the final delivery. Ireland are favourites to win, but looking at the way Namibia played in their previous match, one cannot rule them out.

Teams:

Namibia: Sarel Burger (c), Stephan Baard, Christopher Coombe, Gerhard Erasmus, Jan Frylinck, Zane Green, JP Kotze, Mika Mutumbe, Colin Peake, Bernard Scholtz, JJ Smit, Gerrie Snyman, Louis van der Westhuizen, Craig George Williams

Ireland: William Porterfield (c), Andy Balbirnie, Andy McBrine, Craig Young, Boyd Rankin, Jacob Mulder, Gary Wilson, Greg Thompson, Joshua Little, George Dockrell, Stuart Thompson, Paul Stirling, Kevin O’Brien, Brian McCarthy

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