T20 WC: Ashwin and Jadeja shine as India restrict Namibia to 132/8

Dubai, Nov 8 (IANS) Ravichandran Ashwin (3/20) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/16) shined in India restricting Namibia to 132/8 in their 20 overs of the final Super 12 match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium here on Monday.

At one point, Namibia was in danger of being bowled out for a low score as Ashwin and Jadeja shared six wickets between themselves. But David Wiese, along with the lower order, helped Namibia bat out their whole quota of overs.

Put into batting first, Namibia had a brisk start with 31 runs in four overs. Jasprit Bumrah made the first breakthrough for India as Michael van Lingen mistimed a bouncer to mid-off. In the next over, Jadeja had Craig Williams stumped for a four-ball duck. Jadeja returned in the eighth over to trap Stephan Baard lbw while going for a sweep. Baard went for the DRS but it showed ball crashing towards the top of middle and leg stump.

Ashwin took a wicket on his first ball of the match as Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton edged straight to first slip. Though Gerhard Erasmus and David Wiese struck a boundary each off Rahul Chahar, Ashwin returned to take out Erasmus, with outer edge snapped by keeper Rishabh Pant.

Wiese and JJ Smit continued to take Chahar for boundaries. But Jadeja took out Smit on the last ball of middle overs phase, with Rohit Sharma taking a forward diving catch at cover. In the next over, Ashwin beat Zane Green's defence to hit the top of middle stump.

Bumrah's slower one accounted for Wiese in the 19th over, applying brakes on a possible finishing flourish. Rubel Trumplemann smashed a six and four on consecutive deliveries in the final over off Mohammed Shami to take Namibia past the 130-mark.

Brief Scores: Namibia 132/8 in 20 overs (David Wiese 26, Stephan Baard 21, Ravindra Jadeja 3/16, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/20) vs India.