T20 WC: Van Schalkwyk shines as USA beat Namibia by 31 runs to keep Super 8 hopes alive

Chennai, February 15 (IANS) Shadley van Schalkwyk continued his great form and picked two crucial wickets as the USA restricted Namibia for 168/6 in 20 overs while chasing a target of 200 runs to register a dominant 31-run win in their last match of the T20 World Cup 2026 group stage played at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.

This is the USA's second consecutive win in the tournament, and with this, they have kept their hopes alive of reaching the Super 8 stage. However, the USA will need either India or Pakistan to lose both their remaining group stage matches by good margins.

Chasing a mammoth total to secure their first win in the ongoing tournament, Namibia started on a good note as both their openers, Jan Frylink and Louren Steenkamp, got good starts and scored at a run rate of more than ten, while keeping the required rate in check.

The USA broke the pair in the fifth over when Frylink was caught and bowled by Van Schalkwyk. Frylink scored 19 runs off just 15 balls as Namibia reached 57/1 at the end of the powerplay.

Despite losing his opening partner, Louren kept attacking the USA bowlers as he forged a 45-run partnership with Loftie-Eaton, who eventually got out after scoring 28 runs off 17 balls, hitting four boundaries.

Louren completed his half-century in 33 balls, and as he was looking to finish things off for Namibia, USA bowler Shubham Ranjane sent him to the pavilion with a slower ball pitching outside off in the 13th over. Louren scored 58 runs off 39 balls and hit five boundaries and three sixes.

The USA struck again in the 15th over by getting the wicket of captain Gerhard Erasmus, who managed to score just 6 runs off ten balls.

Namibia never recovered from the back-to-back wickets as JJ Smit and wicketkeeper batter Zane Green, who retired out in the 18th over, were not able to match the required run rate, which kept increasing continuously.

Van Schalkwyk was the most successful bowler for the USA as he finished with figures of 2/30, while Sourabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan and Shubham Ranjane got one wicket each.

Earlier, riding on captain Monank Patel and Sanjay Krishnamurthi's half-centuries, the USA posted a mammoth total of 199/4 in 20 overs.

Coming in to bat after winning the toss, the USA were off to a great start as both the openers, Monank Patel and Shayan Jahangir, looked in great touch and forged a 68-run opening partnership. The USA were 65 for no loss at the end of the powerplay.

Namibia finally got the breakthrough in the seventh over when Shayan was sent to the pavilion by Willem Myburgh, who is playing his first match in the ongoing tournament. Shayan scored 22 runs off 18 balls and hit two fours and a six during his innings.

Despite losing his opening partner, skipper Monank continued the attack as he completed his first fifty in the T20 World Cup 2026 in 27 balls. Monank also became the first USA batter to score 1000 runs in T20Is.

With the USA at 88/1 at the end of the 10th over, Namibia made a comeback with two wickets in the next two overs, with captain Monank departing after scoring 52 runs off 30 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes, while Saiteja Mukkamalla was caught at long-on after scoring 17 runs off 18 balls.

After the back-to-back blows, Milind Kumar and Sanjay stabilised the innings with a dominant 87-run partnership, which took the momentum away from the opposition.

Sanjay completed his fifty in just 23 balls with a six in the 17th over and remained unbeaten on 68 runs off just 33 balls. He hammered four boundaries and six sixes during his innings, while Milind got out in the last over after scoring 28 runs off just 20 balls.

Brief Scores: USA 199/4 in 20 overs (Sanjay Krishnamurthi 68 not out, Monank Patel 52, Milind Kumar 28; Willem Myburgh 2-22, Gerhard Erasmus 2-27) beat Namibia 168/6 in 20 overs (Louren Steenkamp 58, JJ Smit 31; Shadley van Schalkwyk 2-30, Shubham Ranjane 1-6) by 31 runs