pakistan vs namibia: Farhan's maiden T20 century sends Pakistan into Super 8s
Pakistan booked their place in the Super 8s with a commanding 102-run victory over Namibia on Wednesday (ET), powered by opening batter Sahibzada Farhan’s unbeaten maiden T20 international century and a destructive bowling display that bundled the visitors out inside 18 overs.
Farhan’s century sets the tone
Sahibzada Farhan produced a signature innings under pressure, finishing 100 not out off 58 deliveries with four sixes and 11 fours as Pakistan posted 199 for 3. The left-hander’s composed strike rotation and aggressive hitting against all bowling types allowed the hosts to accelerate through the middle overs and reach a commanding total.
Farhan’s century was the platform for useful contributions from captain Salman Ali Agha, who chipped in with 38, and Shadab Khan, who provided a late flourish with an unbeaten 36 to push the scoreboard past the 190 mark. The innings combined patience up front with intent through the middle, ensuring Pakistan set an imposing target on a track that offered something for both batters and bowlers.
Mystery spin and seamers finish the job
Namibia’s chase never settled. Usman Tariq’s distinctive pause-and-bowl mystery spin caused problems from the outset; he returned figures of 4 for 16, regularly breaking partnerships and choking the scoring. Shadab Khan complemented the effort with 3 for 19, and the pairing ripped through the middle order as Namibia slumped to 97 all out in 17. 3 overs.
The collapse defined the margin of victory. Early wickets from Tariq halted any momentum, and when Shadab struck in succession the chase lost direction. Namibia managed only small stands before Pakistan’s bowlers tightened the screw, leaving the visitors four defeats in as many matches in the tournament.
Group implications and tournament context
The win confirmed Pakistan’s advancement to the Super 8s, joining two other teams already through in the same group. Their dominance in this fixture underlines a balance between explosive batting at the top and a varied bowling attack capable of both containment and wicket-taking.
Elsewhere in the group phase, another heavyweight eased through to the next stage with an unbeaten run. A side chasing 123 reached their target with more than six overs to spare, helped by early economical bowling and a quickfire batting reply that removed any tension from the contest. Veteran pace bowlers led the way with tidy death overs, and the batting lineup accelerated decisively once the platform was set, finishing the job inside 14 overs.
For Pakistan, the victory offers momentum and depth as the competition shifts into its next phase. Farhan’s breakthrough century will be a major talking point, but it was the collective performance — a big total followed by clinical bowling — that sealed a convincing result and set up a tougher road ahead in the Super 8s. With form and confidence on their side, Pakistan move forward to face more formidable opponents, where their batting explosiveness and bowling variety will be tested further.
Match timings and the remainder of the tournament schedule continue in Eastern Time for viewers following from that timezone, and attention now turns to squad rotations, matchups and how teams will adjust strategies as the stakes rise.
