Canadian men edge Namibia in ICC World Cup League 2 one-day cricket thriller

The Canadian Press

· Posted: Mar 09, 2025 1:42 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

Pargat Singh's bound successful a ace implicit lifted Canada to a thrilling triumph implicit Namibia connected Sunday successful ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 play.

The one-day planetary successful Windhoek, Namibia went to a deciding implicit erstwhile it finished successful a tie. That meant some sides had six balls to adhd to their total, each nominating 3 batsman and 1 bowler.

JJ Smit and skipper Gerhard Erasmus took the crease for Namibia with Kaleem Sana bowling for Canada. The Namibians scored zero, 1 (on a bye) and 1 with Smit caught connected the 4th delivery.

That brought successful Ruben Trumpelmann, who added 1 tally disconnected the 5th delivery. Swinging for the boundary, Erasmus was caught by Canada skipper Nicholas Kirton connected the last shot of the implicit with conscionable 3 runs scored.

Needing 4 runs to triumph disconnected Smit, Kirton and Singh made it with 3 balls to spare successful the ace over.

Kirton scored a azygous and Singh added a pair, leaving Canada with 4 balls to unafraid the winning run. Singh past deed a 4 to extremity the drama.

Canada moved into 2nd spot successful the standings astatine 9-4-1 with 19 points, down the U.S. (11-5-0, 22 points). Oman is 3rd connected 18 points and the Dutch 4th connected 17. Namibia is sixth connected 12 points.

The World League 2 features 8 teams — besides including Nepal, Oman, Scotland, the United Arab Emirates and the U.S., with each of the sides playing 36 one-day internationals dispersed crossed 9 triangular bid done December 2026.

The apical 4 teams determination connected to a 10-country World Cup Qualifier that volition nonstop the past 4 teams to the 2027 World Cup.

The bottommost 4 teams tin besides advancement to the Qualifier but volition person to get determination via the Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff which includes the apical 4 teams from the Cricket World Cup Challenge League.

Canada won promotion from the Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff.

Canada won the flip and elected to bat Sunday, finishing astatine 167 for 8 successful 39 overs astatine Wanderers Cricket Ground connected a time erstwhile concerns implicit lightning constricted play. Namibia was acceptable a triumph people of 175 according to the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, which sets a @fair people for the chasing squad successful an interrupted crippled of one-day cricket.

Namibia needed 20 runs successful its last 3 overs with conscionable 2 wickets left. After conceding a four, Sana bowled Shaun Fouche to determination 1 measurement person to snuffing retired the threat.

That near Namibia needing 16 runs disconnected 16 balls with Dylan Leicher and Bernard Scholtz the past hopes astatine the crease. Namibia kept chipping away.

The location broadside required 7 runs to triumph successful its last implicit against Sana. Leicher, 20, was connected the antiaircraft for the archetypal 2 balls, incapable to score, but scored 2 disconnected the 3rd transportation and a 4 disconnected the fourth.

That near Namibia with 2 balls to people 1 tally for the win. Leicher was incapable to marque interaction with the penultimate delver, starring the crippled to beryllium decided by the past ball.

Leicher went for the winning tally disconnected a anemic last deed but was tally retired by Sana with Namibia finishing astatine 174 for 10.

Canada opener Navneet Dhaliwal, named antheral of the match, led the mode with 54 runs successful 84 balls including 3 fours and 3 sixes. Harsh Thaker added 26 runs and chap opener Yuvraj Samra contributed 24.

Erasmus led Namibia with 41 runs earlier being caught by wicketkeeper Shreyas Movva disconnected a Dilon Heyliger delivery. Heyliger led Canada's bowlers with 3 wickets.

Canada's opening crippled of the triangular bid against the Netherlands was abandoned Wednesday without a azygous shot played owed to rain.

Canada faces the Netherlands connected Tuesday and Namibia again adjacent Saturday.