Sahibzada Farhan strikes a superb unbeaten century after Pakistan opted to bat first against Namibia in a must-win match
COLOMBO: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Feb 18th, 2026) Pakistan produced a commanding batting performance to post 199 for 3 against Namibia in a decisive encounter of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, with Sahibzada Farhan striking a superb unbeaten century.
After winning the toss, captain Salman Ali Agha opted to bat first, a decision that paid dividends as Pakistan’s top order laid a solid foundation. Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub began confidently, putting on 40 runs before Saim was dismissed for 14.
Salman Ali Agha then added momentum to the innings with a fluent 38 off 23 balls before being sent back to the pavilion. Khawaja Nafees contributed five runs during the middle overs.
The highlight of the innings was Farhan’s exceptional knock. The right-hander registered his maiden T20 World Cup century in just 57 deliveries, smashing four sixes and ten boundaries. He remained unbeaten on 100, anchoring the innings with composure and authority. All-rounder Shadab Khan provided strong support with a valuable 36-run contribution.
Pakistan finished their allotted 20 overs at 199 for the loss of three wickets, setting Namibia a challenging target of 200 runs. For Namibia, Jack Bresell claimed two wickets, while Gerhard Erasmus took one.
The match is crucial for Pakistan’s hopes of progressing to the Super Eight stage. A win would secure qualification, while even a washout would be sufficient to advance. However, a defeat could see the United States progress ahead of Pakistan on net run rate.
Playing XIs:
Pakistan: 1 Sahibzada Farhan (wk), 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Salman Agha (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Usman Khan (wk), 6 Khawaja Nafay, 7 Shadab Khan , 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Faheem Ashraf, 10 Salman Mirza, 11 Usman Tariq
Namibia: 1 Jan Frylinck, 2 Louren Steenkamp, 3 Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, 4 Gerhard Erasmus (capt), 5 Alexander Busing-Volschenk, 6 JJ Smit, 7 Zane Green (wk), 8 Ruben Trumpelmann, 9 Willem Myburgh, 10 Bernard Scholtz, 11 Jack Brassell
