New Zealand came out unscathed from a slippery game against Namibia in the T20 World Cup on Friday, winning the match by 52 runs. Courtesy the result, they climbed up to the second spot in Group 2 standings and stayed on course to clinch a semi-final spot.

On a tricky Sharjah surface, New Zealand, batting first, struggled for 15 overs before some late hitting from Glenn Phillips and Jimmy Neesham helped them put up a decent 163/4 in 20 overs. That proved to be enough against the minnows, who could manage 111/7 in reply.

Phillips (39 not out off 21 balls) and Neesham (35 not out off 23 balls) brought out the big shots from their bags to break free from the Namibian stranglehold. The duo added 76 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket in just 36 balls. While Phillips hammered one four and three sixes, Neesham struck one boundary and two maximums. Courtesy Phillips and Neesham, New Zealand amassed 53 runs in the last three overs.

Once they had the runs on board, Blacks Caps’ bowlers did their job. Tim Southee (2/15), Trent Boult (2/20), Mitchell Santner (1/20), Ish Sodhi (1/22) and Jimmy Neesham (1/6) shared the wickets.

New Zealand, who now have 6 points and a net run rate of +1.277, play Afghanistan on Sunday in what could be a virtual quarter final.

Chasing 164, Namibia openers Stephen Baard (21) and Michael van Lingen (25) conjured 47 runs for the opening wicket. But New Zealand sent back both the openers, first Neesham cleaned up Lingen in the eighth over and then slow left-arm orthodox bowler Santner castled Baard with Namibia slipping to 51/2. Leggie Sodhi removed rival skipper Gerhard Erasmus (3) cheaply to tighten the screws on

the Africans.

Zane Green (23) and David Wiese (16) tried their best but it was not enough.

‘Challenging surface’

Reflecting on the game, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson admitted that it was a difficult and tricky challenge.

“I think we all know what we have to expect here, it was a real scrape. We tried to maximise that short side, it was a challenging surface. The guys played well to get us 160. An over or two can crack the game, that was our focus,” Williamson said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

All-rounder Neesham agreed with his captain. “It was a two-paced wicket… there were talks about the repercussions if we had lost today, but we were not thinking about the wicket,” Neesham said. “The way we went out there and played on a challenging surface, I’m pleased with it.”