Colombo, February 17 With their backs against the wall, former champions Pakistan will rely on their fragile batting to come good after the defeat against India and secure a spot in the Super 8s when they face struggling Namibia in their final league fixture here on Wednesday.
In Group A, title favourites India have already secured their Super 8s berth after their impressive 61-run win over Pakistan the other day.
The second spot is now up for grabs, with the United States currently leading Pakistan.
Both teams have four points each, but Pakistan is behind in Net Run Rate – Pakistan has a Net Run Rate of -0.403, while the USA are comfortably placed at 0.788.
Pakistan's situation is simple – win against winless Namibia and qualify, as any slip-up could leave them relying on other possibilities.
Led by Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan's campaign has suddenly entered a tense phase after what was meant to be a straightforward progression turned into a battle for survival following the defeat to India.
The spotlight will be firmly on their fragile batting – including star player Babar Azam, openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub, and their captain Agha – which was exposed in their defeat to India in Colombo.
Babar Azam has been under pressure, especially after his poor performance against India, with calls for his exclusion growing louder.
After being reduced to 13 for 3 by India's pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, Pakistan's middle order offered no resistance – a worrying sign even against a side like Namibia.
Openers Sahibzada and Ayub, along with the middle order, will also need to show greater application.
Pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi also struggled, claiming only one wicket while conceding over 31 runs in his two overs.
The only bright spot was Ayub, who troubled India's top order with his three-wicket haul.
Pakistan's key concern is Afridi's inconsistency; his struggle with rhythm and control was evident when he conceded 15 runs in the crucial final over, handing India the late momentum.
Against Namibia, Afridi must strike early, as removing key batters in the first six overs will allow Pakistan to control the match.
Pakistan's powerplay frailties also remain a worry – they managed only 40 runs while losing four wickets in the last game.
Frequent middle-order changes have created confusion, putting late-order acceleration in doubt.
Namibia, though winless in three matches so far, have shown flashes of discipline and tactical awareness.
The smart tactics of their captain Gerhard Erasmus paid off against India when the experienced off-spinner cleverly released the ball halfway through his run-up and delivered from well behind the stumps to deceive Tilak Varma during his excellent 4/20 spell.
He claimed the prized wickets of Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel, and his battle against Pakistan's struggling batters could be a key match-up.
Namibia, often thriving in the underdog role, will look to bow out with pride. If they can force a low-scoring contest against Pakistan, nerves could once again come into play in what has become a crucial fixture for the 2009 champions.
Left-arm pacer JJ Smuts is also a constant threat for batsmen, Namibia has the firepower to pull off an upset.
Opening batter Louren Steenkamp has delivered two encouraging knocks, including a half-century, in the previous games, while Jan Nicolaas Frylinck and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton have added much-needed stability to Namibia's top order.
Teams (from):
Namibia: Gerhard Erasmus (c), Jan Balt, Jack Brassell, Alexander Busing-Volschenk, Jan Frylinck, Zane Green (wk), Max Heingo, Malan Kruger, Dylan Leicher, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, JJ Smit, Louren Steenkamp, Ruben Trumpelmann.
Pakistan: Salman Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq.
Match starts 3:00 p.m.
