Sri Lanka’s army of Australian fans brought tremendous noise, colour and verve to the Twenty20 World Cup’s opening day in Geelong, only to watch unfancied Namibia conjure an almighty upset to start the tournament.
Extra trains and buses were put on to get supporters down to Kardinia Park on a pristine spring afternoon, helping to reel in a crowd of almost 13,000 for the game.
They were to be confounded first by the sight of Namibia posting a challenging 7-163 for their heroes to chase, and then by Sri Lanka’s collapse to a vast, 55-run defeat.
The Papare Band Melbourne brings musical support for their beloved Sri Lankan team in Geelong.Credit:Getty Images
Dihan Nammuni Dewage, trumpeter in the Papare Band Melbourne that has followed the Sri Lankan team’s fortunes around the world for some 20 years, balanced mounting anxiety at the fall of Sri Lankan wickets with joy about the occasion itself.
“The last two or three years due to COVID we couldn’t get the band together and all the Sri Lankan fans couldn’t really get together much,” he said.
“But this is a good opportunity and it’s been great to get everyone to the big match. Having a Sri Lanka fan zone was a big attraction and people have come from quite a few other places apart from Melbourne as well.
“All the Sri Lankans from all over Australia have got together, basically. A lot of people have been staying around Geelong even since last night, booking their accommodation and waiting for today’s game.”
After starting in 2002 with just the one trumpet, the Papare Band now features 15 members. They followed Sri Lanka around Australia and New Zealand during the 2015 World Cup, and England for the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup.
“The plan is to go to many more in the future, next year is in India and 2024 in the USA,” he said.
“We’re going to travel to all the states following the Sri Lankan team and hopefully they win through from group A – we’re all ready to go.”
Ready to go perhaps, but by day’s end they were also having to contend with a shock defeat at the hands of unfancied Namibian names such as Jan Frylinck and Bernard Scholtz.
If the cup’s opening game told us anything it was that in T20, it pays to be prepared for absolutely every possibility.
Namibia open T20 Cup with huge upset
World Cup minnows Namibia have opened the T20 tournament with a stunning 55-run upset thrashing of Sri Lanka in Geelong.
The Namibians silenced the boisterous, pro-Sri Lankan crowd with an outstanding all-round performance on Sunday at Kardinia Park.
After Jan Frylinck and JJ Smit’s seventh-wicket heroics batted them back into the match, Namibia defended their 7-163 with great bowling and fielding to dismiss Sri Lanka for 108 from 19 overs.
Namibia have stunned Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup boilover. Ben Shikongo appeals.Credit:AP
It puts Namibia in the box seat to progress through the qualifiers and reach the Super 12 stage of the tournament, while Sri Lanka must now beat UAE and the Netherlands in their group.
As disciplined as Namibia were, Sri Lanka were terrible only a month after winning the Asia Cup.
Sri Lanka won the toss and looked in control, especially when off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana had David Wiese caught behind for a golden duck.
That left Namibia in major strife at 6-93 from 14.2 overs.
But Frylinck and Smit then turned the match with a big-hitting stand of 70 from 34 balls.
Frylinck was run out on the last delivery of the innings and top-scored with 44 from 28 balls, while Smit hit two sixes and two fours in his unbeaten 31 from 16 deliveries.
Namibia’s rally rolled into the start of the Sri Lankan innings, with 22-year-old fast bowler Ben Shikongo on a hat-trick in the third over.
He dismissed opener Pathum Nissanka and then Danushka Gunathilaka in his double-wicket maiden over to have Sri Lanka reeling at 3-21.
Namibia’s JJ Smit, centre, takes the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Chamika Karunaratne.Credit:AP
Bhanuka Rajapaksa and captain Dasun Shanaka put on 34 for the fifth wicket, before Bernard Scholtz dismissed Rajapaksa for 20 to deepen their woes at 5-74 off 10.3.
When Frylinck did for Shanaka six runs later for a top score of 29, Sri Lanka were 6-80 and there was no coming back.
Frylinck, Shikongo, Wiese and Scholtz took two wickets apiece.
Sri Lanka’s poor day started badly when promising young left-arm paceman Dilshan Madushanka was ruled out of the tournament.
The 22-year-old has a torn quad muscle and Binura Fernando, who did not play on Sunday, has taken his place in their Cup squad.
AAP
