The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 has been one of many surprises, from unknown teams upstaging the biggest names to individual displays that have elevated the watching experience of the competition.
The ongoing edition is now on the final lap of its Super 12 schedule, but as things stand, surprisingly, no team is currently favourites to qualify for the knockouts.
We list the games where the heavyweight teams were handed surprise wake-up calls.
Namibia beat Sri Lanka by 55 runs
Sri Lanka, who recently won their sixth Asia Cup, were pegged as one of the title contenders for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. But, an opening defeat to Namibia, a team gradually climbing up the ladder in international cricket, signalled the beginning of more ‘David vs Goliath’ matchups in the 2022 tournament.
Batting first, Namibia posted 163/7 with Jan Frylinck (44) as the top-scorer. JJ Smit put on a confident cameo with an unbeaten 31 runs off 16 balls.
Sri Lanka’s run chase was riddled with errors, as they lost three wickets for 21 runs inside four overs. Besides Dasun Shanaka’s 23-ball 29, none of the Lankan batters could withstand the bowling prowess of David Wiese (2/16) and Bernard Scholtz (2/18) as they could only manage a score of 108.
Scotland beat West Indies by 42 runs
For all that is worth, West Indies’ decline in T20 cricket hit a new low as Scotland handed the two-time T20 World Cup champions a 42-run defeat.
Opener George Munsey set the tone for the Scots’ first innings total of 160/5 with an unbeaten 66 runs of 53 balls, laced with nine boundaries. Along the way, he found some support from Calum MacLeod (23) and Michael Jones (20).
Boasting a quality top-order that includes Evin Lewis, Brandon King and captain Nicholas Pooran, West Indies saw their batting collapse at regular intervals.
In the end, the Men in Maroon were bundled out for 118 in 18.3 overs, and Richie Berrington’s Scotland had the last laugh with a 42-run victory.
Ireland beat England by five runs (DLS method)
After a campaign-defining nine-wicket humbling of West Indies, Ireland looked for a statement result in their Super 12 campaign after a nine-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in the opening game of the round. And, none better than a win against a team that is ranked second on the ICC Men’s T20I team rankings.
Ireland, who were put to bat first, plotted a first innings total of 157 in 19.2 overs thanks to Andrew Balbirnie. The opener slammed 62 runs off 47 balls, apart from Lorcan Tucker (34), to help the Irish post a defendable score.
While rain’s interference reduced the target to 111 in 14.3 overs, England struggled to find footing in the run chase. After managing just 29-3 in the powerplay overs, the Three Lions found themselves at 86-5 in the 14th over. Moeen Ali tried to get England to the finish line but could only manage 12 runs as Jos Buttler and Co. lost the tie by five runs.
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