Namibia’s Ruben Trumpelmann became the first player to take wickets in the first two deliveries of a T20 international as his team beat Oman via the Super Over in a thrilling T20 World Cup match here. David Wiese and skipper Gerhard Erasmus smashed 21 runs for Namibia in the one-over eliminator with Oman managing 10 from the allotted six deliveries bowled brilliantly by the seasoned Wiese. Asked to bat first, Oman were earlier bowled out for 109 in 19.4 overs at the Kensington Oval. In reply, Namibia were also stopped at the same team score with Jan Frylinck making 45 in 48 balls and Mehran Khan taking 3/7 to force a Super Over.

This was after Namibia’s South Africa-born left-arm fast bowler Trumpelmann created history.

The 26-year-old achieved the feat when he dismissed opener Kashyap Prajapati and Oman skipper Aqib Ilyas for golden ducks on the first two balls of the match.

Khalid Kail top-scored for Oman with 34 in 39 balls.

Trumpelmann took another wicket in his second over and returned with the career-best figures of 4-21.

He trapped Kashyap Prajapati leg before wicket with an in-swinging yorker on the first ball of the match and then dismissed Ilyas with one that crushed onto the batter’s toes.

In the process, Trumpelmann also registered the best figures for the team in T20 World Cup history. He beat the previous record of 3/17 set by him against Scotland in the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup held in the UAE.

After sending back Prajapati and Ilyas off successive balls, Trumpelmann dismissed opener Naseem Khushi and then returned to pick up the wicket of Kalemullah at the death for his fourth scalp.

Wiese too was among wickets, returning fine figures of 3/28 in 3.4 overs as Oman found it hard to tackle the Namibia bowlers.

However, defending a small total, Oman bowlers showed a lot of discipline and refused to go down without a fight, eventually managing to tie the game.

But, on the day, Nambia had the last laugh.

While many thought Namibia captain Erasmus would hand the ball to Trumpelmann to bowl the Super Over, he chose the 39-year-old Wiese for his years of experience and it paid dividends.

After the nervy win, Player of the Match Wiese, who was also born in South Africa, said, “Aged a couple of years tonight. Don’t have a lot of years left in me (laughs). It was emotionally draining evening.” Speaking about batting and bowling in Super over, “It helped that I had a feel of the game and knew if I get a few hits out in the Super Over …. then with the ball, felt like taking the ball and executing.

“Pitch was difficult, didn’t play the way we thought. But we adapted well. It was two-paced, it was a difficult wicket to get yourself in. Definitely one you needed to spend a bit of time before capitalising.” Namibia were on course to chase down the target of 110 until Mehran Khan (3/7) brought Oman back into the contest with his two wickets in the final over.

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