Afghanistan vs Namibia Highlights T20 World Cup 2021: Afghanistan cruise to 62-run victory

Tight from Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton. Shahzad tries to find an opening but Loftie-Eaton keeps it low. Only 2 off the over.

Afghanistan 55/1 in 8 overs

An entertaining innings from the opener comes to an end! Zazai goes across the line and lofts it towards backward square leg, but Michael van Lingen is placed perfectly to take the catch. An important opening breakthrough.

Afghanistan 53/1 in 7 overs

Mohammad Shahzad springs into action this time. A monstrous slap towards deep midwicket for a four, followed by a scoop over the third-man boundary for a maximum! A good Powerplay for Afghanistan as they end up at 50/0 after six overs.

Zazai hasn't looked perfectly comfortable, but Afghanistan won't mind it if the runs keep on flowing. The opener barely survives an inside-edge onto stumps as the ball races away to the fine-leg boundary, and then slams a brilliant six over cow corner.

Afghanistan 37/0 in 5 overs

The opener slams two fours off Trumpelmann again, who hasn't been as consistent as he was in the game against Scotland, where he inflicted early blows in the innings. The left-armer wanders off his line a bit, going wide outside the off-stump as Zazai places it perfectly past the fielder on square leg.

Afghanistan 26/0 in 4 overs

It hasn't been a great line for Wiese, with three deliveries down the leg but Zazai, in an attempt to flick it past fine leg, mistimes all three.

Afghanistan 17/0 in 3 overs

15 runs off the first two overs. Hazratullah Zazai found a couple of boundaries (a four and a six) in the first over, while Namibia's Jon-Jon Smit keeps it tight from the other end.

Afghanistan openers - Hazratullah Zazai and Mohammad Shahzad - make their way out in the middle. Players show their support towards the BLM movement. Ruben Trumpelmann opens the attack for Namibia.

The team has never lost a day game in the T20Is batting first, winning 13 consecutive games.

Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, who is Afghanistan's highest wicket-taker in the 2021 T20 World Cup so far (6 wickets in 2 games) misses out due to lack of fitness.

How big a blow will it be for the side?

Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan): “We'll bat first. The wicket looks really good to bat on. We feel really good after the performance in the last game. A lot of plus points, the boys played really well. Mujeeb is unfit, Hamid Hassan is playing."

Gerhard Erasmus (Scotland): "A great opportunity for our bowlers to put them under pressure. Looks like a good wicket with wind blowing across. We have planned the same as we planned against Sri Lanka. We are not playing the bowler, we are only playing the ball. We are not going to spend energy on the opposition and are instead going to focus on our strengths. No team changes."

Afghanistan win toss, opt to bat first against Namibia in Abu Dhabi.

"I think the table is right open. There are three teams that will be fighting for that (second) spot because India has played one and lost one. And New Zealand has played one and lost one. We'll be having a great contest, great matchup coming up with them in a week's time. So you can't say much at the moment who will be qualifying. It's only Pakistan who has made it through. But there is still one spot."

The two sides have squared off against each other only twice so far, with Afghanistan winning both games.

Their last meeting was over four years ago – in January 2017 – when Afghanistan had defeated Namibia by 64 runs in Dubai.

Mohammad Nabi's men faced heartbreak in their previous game against Pakistan, conceding a close defeat during the final stages of the game. After reducing Pakistan to 124/5 in 18 overs in a 148-run chase, Afghanistan's Karim Janat conceded four sixes in the 19th, as Afghanistan suffered a first defeat in the edition.

Against Namibia, Nabi and co. will be aiming to put their campaign back on track.

Gerhard Erasmus' side has enjoyed a stellar outing in the 2021 edition so far. After a disappointing 7-wicket defeat in the opening game to Sri Lanka in the first round, Namibia went on a winning streak which extended to the first game of Super 12s against Scotland.

Will they be able to defy the odds and stage an upset against Afghanistan?

The match against Namibia will be Asghar Afghan's last match for Afghanistan. The former captain of the side confirmed on Saturday that he will retire from all formats of the game following the Group 2 game on Sunday.

Hello and welcome to our live blog on T20 World Cup, Afghanistan vs Namibia. Can Namibia pick up a big win for associate nations? Stay tuned for all the live action!