(Cricket news) Namibia made a terrific start to the T20 World Cup as they beat Sri Lanka by a shocking 55-run margin to make their case for the Super 12 qualification spot. The Asia Cup champions did well for about the first 15 overs of the game after which it all went downhill for Sri Lanka. Namibia smashed it in the death overs before the bowling unit dismantled Sri Lanka on a two-paced wicket Geelong. Dushmantha Chameera, who missed Sri Lanka's Asia Cup campaign due to a calf injury, struck with the second ball to dismiss Namibia opener Michael van Lingen as Promod Madushan took care of Divan la Cock  in the third over. Namibia were in real trouble by the fifth when they lost their third wicket. 

Gerhard Erasmus and Stephan Baard managed to get 41 runs in seven overs together. Once Hasaranga foxed Erasmus, Namibia lost Wiese to get to a score of 93 for 6 in the 15th over. Frylinck and Smit took on the bowling and hit 68 off the last five overs as Sri Lanka's quicks didn't close the innings off. The Namibian turnaround began when Frylinck punished a s Dushmantha Chameera in the 16th over as Smit also got into the act in the following over with a huge over off Hasaranga, after which they combined to punish the bowlers. Frylinck finished the innings with a 28-ball 44, that included four fours, and Smit got an unbeaten 31 off 16, with two fours and two sixes.

Namibia carried the momentum into their bowling phase as they made life hard for Sri Lanka's top-order. Wiese brought all his T20 experience as just in his second over he got Kusal Mendis to a brilliant delivery. Twenty-two-year-old medium pacer Ben Shikongo got two wickets off successive deliveries in a double-wicket maiden. Sri Lanka lost three wickets in the PowerPlay and like Namibia they needed a partnership to steer the ship. Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, that just never came as Dhananjaya de Silva got out right after the powerplay to Shikongo. Frylinck then reduced Sri Lanka to 40 for 4 as the senior pair of batters tried to stitch a partnership but after a drinks break, there was no coming back from Rajapaksa's dismissal as Sri Lanka went from 74 for 5 in 11th over to 92 for 9 in the 16th over, Maheesh Theekshana took his side past the 100-run mark but Wiese ended the innings  in the 19th over at 108.

Brief Scores: Namibia 163/7 (Jan Frylinck 44, JJ Smit 31; Pramod Madushan 2-37) beat Sri Lanka 108 in 19 overs (Dasun Shanaka 29, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 20; David Wiese 2-16, Bernard Scholtz 2-18, Ben Shikongo 2-22, Jan Frylinck 2-26) by 55 runs

Also read: Gabba Diaries: Shami bowls full tilt as India enter final phase of preparations with warm-up games