Australia Vs Namibia, T20 World Cup Highlights: Ruthless AUS Demolish NAM, Secure Super 8 Berth

Welcome to the highlights of our coverage of match 24 of ICC T20 World Cup 2024, played between Australia and Namibia at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua (West Indies) on Wednesday, June 12. The Aussies pummelled Namibia by nine wickets. They produced an all-round bowling performance, spurred by Adam Zampa's four-wicket haul, to bowl Namibia out for just 72 runs. Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh them combined to rattle off the target in just 5.4 overs. With that win, Australia confirmed their progression to the Super 8s today. Catch the highlights of the AUS vs NAM match at T20 WC 2024, right here. (Scorecard | Full Coverage)

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh has won the toss and decided to bowl first against Namibia.

Playing XIs

Australia: Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh(c), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade(w), Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

Namibia: Nikolaas Davin, Michael van Lingen, Jan Frylinck, Gerhard Erasmus(c), JJ Smit, Zane Green(w), David Wiese, Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz, Jack Brassell, Ben Shikongo.

Mitchell Marsh: It looks a nice wicket. Nathan Ellis comes in for Mitchell Starc, that's the change. We have played a lot of cricket, looking forward to the challenge. It was a real change in the last game, that was pleasing.

Gerhard Erasmus: We have three changes, youngster Jack Brassell gets a go, as does Ben Shikongo. We would have bowled first as well. What an exciting prospect for us. Hopefully it will be an upset if we beat the mighty Australia, we will give our best shot.

A little bit of drizzle has announced itself, right after the two teams' national anthems. Both sets of players are out at the centre but covers have been brought on over the pitch and the main square, as a precautionary measure.

The drizzle has relented in minutes, and play is underway almost on time. Seasoned Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood has the ball in hand and Namibian openers Michael van Lingen and Nikolaas Davin are at the crease. Seven runs result off the first over, including an edged four over slips.

Josh Hazlewood has struck twice, and Pat Cummins has bagged a wicket too to leave Namibia reeling at 15 for three after 4.1 overs. Early success for the Aussies as they seek a confirmation of their Super 8s qualification today.

The procession of wickets continues, and Adam Zampa joins the wicket-takers with one of his own. Namibia are now five down for just 21 runs in nine overs.

Adam Zampa strikes off the last ball of his four-over spell, and picks up a wicket with it. That is his fourth wicket on the day, and his 100th in T20 internationals overall. Namibia are eight down with a mere 43 runs on the board after 13 overs.

Marcus Stoinis strikes twice in the 17th over as Australia dismiss Namibia for a mere 72 runs in the first innings. A clinical show from Australia with the ball. Now for their batters to knock off the runs.

The Australian chase of a 73-run target begins. David Warner and Travis Head at the crease, and Ruben Trumpelmann with the ball. The ball stopping a bit on the batters, but they take seven runs off the first over anyway.

Travis Head plays a characteristically destructive knock and Mitchell Marsh joins him post David Warner's dismissal, as the Aussies waltz into the Super 8 with a dominating nine-wicket win over Namibia.

Adam Zampa, Player of the Match: "To get the win tonight and qualify for the Super Eights, that is a nice feeling. (On if he feels the ball is coming out well) Yes and no. I bowled a couple of pies tonight but in general, the ball feels like it is coming out well. Being encouraged to pick up wickets in the middle, particularly by the captain. (Challenge of bowling with the breeze) We experienced that in Barbados as well. We know on these wickets that is a challenge. We are happy, it is the first step in trying to take the trophy home but a long way to go (still)."

Gerhard Erasmus: "(On what they learnt from tonight) That you cannot sit back against the best in the world - that is one thing we learnt tonight. The skill gap is there but you can sort of close that by fighting fire with fire. We did not do that tonight. A good side like Australia will expose you if you are not willing to mentally step up on this level on a particular day. The conditions were fair throughout the last two games and we could not play well enough according to those conditions."

Mitchell Marsh: "I thought it was a great performance from our bowling team. It was a beautiful wicket, a bit of swing out there. A professional performance. Great to qualify for the Super Eight. We get really busy after the game against Scotland and we will try to manage (our workloads). Hopefully we can win that and then move into the Super Eight. (On Adam Zampa) If you look at his career, over the past four or five years, he is probably our most important player, in our structure. He loves the big moment, the pressure and he is bowling beautifully at the moment. (How they are keeping themselves prepared) Probably having not as many beers as you had back in the day Haydos (Matthew Hayden). We have our families here, and with the wind around, it is perfect.

That concludes our coverage of the AUS vs NAM clash. We will be back in the evening with live updates from the all-important India vs USA encounter. Until then, goodbye.