India might be facing Sri Lanka and West Indies both in Super 12 after Sri Lanka lost to Namibia in the T20 World Cup 2022 opener in Geelong. Can they survive the Group of Death?
With Namibia beating Sri Lanka, Team India will surely be licking their lips as they will now have to brace for a stiff competition. According to the ICC T20 World Cup rules, as many as 8 teams will play the preliminary qualifying round, among which only four will get through to the Super 12s. Two apiece in both the pools. The pool A—which has the likes of India, Pakistan, South Africa and Bangladesh may get the both the heavyweights—Sri Lanka and West Indies, making it a group of death.
Earlier it was expected that Sri Lanka would beat Namibia in the T20 World Cup 2022 opener and may qualify as the top performing team getting themselves an A1 finish. But tables have turned and they might be heading for a runner up position in group A. Meanwhile, group B qualifiers which has the likes of West Indies, Scotland, Ireland and Zimbabwe may see West Indies finishing at the top.
This means West Indies(group b winner) and Sri Lanka (group a runners up) landing in India’s group, making it a group of death as the group will look like this: India, South Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan, West Indies and Sri Lanka.
Nonetheless, with Sri Lanka losing to Namibia by a margin of 44 runs, their net run rate has taken a heavy hit. With that being said, Sri Lanka will have to play out of their skins to avert an exit in the first round itself. If that happens, Sri Lanka wouldn’t make it to the Super 12 in the first place.
India will be taking on Australia and New Zealand in the warm up matches before they take on Pakistan in the opening match on October 23 in Melbourne.
Earlier Jan Frylinck smashed 44 runs and took two wickets as Namibia hammered Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka by 55 runs to cause a major upset in the opening match of the Twenty20 World Cup on Sunday.
The left-handed Frylinck and JJ Smit, who made an unbeaten 31, lifted Namibia to 163-7 with their 69-run seventh-wicket stand after being invited to bat first in Geelong.
Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 108 in 19 overs with David Wiese, Frylinck, Bernard Scholtz and Ben Shikongo taking two wickets each in the team’s first of three opening-round matches.
The African minnows are on course for a second straight Super 12 place after achieving the feat on their T20 World Cup debut last year in the United Arab Emirates.
“Incredible journey, last year was a special experience for us. We’ve started a great win, but a lot of work to do throughout this tournament still,” skipper Gerhard Erasmus said after the stunning win.
