Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus praised fast bowler Ruben Trumpelmann for his heroics with the ball against Scotland in their ICC T20 World Cup 2021 clash on Wednesday. Namibia started their Super 12 campaign with a 4-wicket win over Scotland.
Bowling first, Ruben Trumpelmann provided his team with a sensational start, picking up three crucial wickets in the first over. He removed George Munsey, Calum MacLeod, and skipper Richie Berrington, hurting Scotland right at the start.
The likes of JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, and David Wiese also chipped in with the ball and helped their team restrict Scotland to a total of 109 runs only.
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Chasing the target, Namibia had a decent start to their innings, scoring 28 runs for the opening partnership. But after the wicket of Michael van Linge, the Gerhard Erasmus-led side was sloppy with the bat and was reduced to 67/4.
JJ Smit then made sure that he remained unbeaten and take his team home with 5 balls to spare. The right-handed batter scored 32* runs and helped his team to register their first win of the Super 12s stage.
Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus said that they were delighted with another World Cup win and they are excited for the challenges ahead of them. He pointed out that they showed great intent and few partnerships took them home.
"Delighted to get another World Cup win, another proud moment for the team. From here on we have to lift our level. We are excited about the challenge. Hopefully, we can execute on those days. We all know we back each other. It was always about showing good intent. Luckily we got few partnerships to get over the line,” Gerhard Erasmus said at the post-match presentation.
Erasmus lauded Ruben Trumpelmann saying that the pacer sets high standards for himself and him picking up wickets upfront allowed them to start well and throw the first punch.
He added that his team will savor the moment with the "small but very proud" group of Namibians. He remarked that the cricket team owes its success to the people back home.
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"Ruben (Trumpelmann) sets high standards. By his own admission, he hasn't hit the straps but is very delighted that he came out here and executed. That allowed us to start well and throw the first punch.
“Quite big (celebrating the victory), pretty proud moment. We savour this with the small Namibian group out here and all the people back home. Small but very proud country. We owe it to them back home,"
Ruben Trumpelmann, who won the Player of the Match for his heroics, revealed that he was nervous as it’s his first T20 World Cup. He said that he uses swing as an early weapon upfront and it went his way today.
"It felt great to win and hope to get a few more. I'm focused on thetraining, and happy to see that things went my way. I was nervous out there, but I thought, it's the World Cup, so why not enjoy it. I use swing as a weapon upfront, so luckily it went my way today. We hope to win a few more, but this is massive for us,” Ruben Trumpelmann said.
Namibia will clash with Afghanistan on October 31 in their next match while Scotland will next face New Zealand on November 3.
(ANI inputs)
