New Delhi. Several players have represented teams from two countries in the T20 World Cup, Corey Anderson and David Wiese being prominent among them. Anderson, who has been a member of the New Zealand team in two T20 World Cups, is playing for the USA in the current T20 World Cup. Similarly, David Wiese, who played for South Africa in the 2016 World Cup, is a member of the Namibian squad from the 2021 World Cup and is performing well.
Wiz has so far scored 3 wickets and 23 runs in two matches in T20 World Cup 2024. Namibia’s first match was a tie against Oman (Namibia vs Oman) and was decided by a super over. In the Super Over, Wiz performed well with the bat and ball and ensured the team’s win. In the Super Over, where he hit 12 runs (one six and one four) off three balls to take the team to 21 runs, he took a wicket to restrict Oman to 10 runs and sealed the team’s victory.
Fourth oldest cricketer to become player of the match in T20 WC
Wiese is the fourth-oldest cricketer to win Player of the Match in T20 World Cup. He achieved this feat at the age of 39 years and 16 days. Sanath Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka holds the first position in this matter. He won the Player of the Match award in the T20 World Cup at the age of 39 years and 345 days. Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik became the player of the match in the T20 World Cup at the age of 39 years and 276 days and Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan became the player of the match at the age of 39 years and 153 days. However, at the age of 39, Wiz is the first player from an Allied nation to achieve the feat.
South Africa’s performance in the tournament was mediocre
Talking about the 39-year-old Wiese, ‘Changing Country’ has proved to be a successful deal for him. The 2016 T20 World Cup was an ordinary one for him while playing for South Africa. While playing for a legendary team like South Africa, he was able to make it to the playing eleven in less matches. He got a chance to play in only 3 matches of the 2016 T20 World Cup held in India, in which he scored only 28 runs at an average of 28 and took one wicket at a poor average of 74.
Namibia’s star performer in 2021 T20 World Cup
Right-arm fast bowler and useful batsman Wiz then decided to play for Namibia. He had a brilliant performance in the first T20 World Cup of 2021. During this period, he scored 227 runs (best 66*) in 8 matches at an average of 45.40 and also took 6 wickets (best 2/22). He scored 66 not out against Netherlands and 43 not out against Pakistan. His performance was instrumental in taking the team to the Super 12. In the 2022 World Cup held in Australia, he scored 66 runs at an average of 33 in 3 matches and took three wickets at an average of 21.66.
Namibia beat Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup 2022
ICC associate member Namibia is participating in the T20 World Cup for the third time in 2024. The Namibian team has played a total of 12 matches in the 2021 and 2021 tournament, out of which the team has won 4 and lost 7. A match is tied in which the latter team has won. The Namibian team has created a sensation in 2022 by defeating the one-time world champions Sri Lanka by 55 runs. In this match, after scoring 163 runs for 7 wickets in 20 overs, Namibia bowled out Sri Lanka for 108 runs in 19 overs. David Wiese, Bernard Schultz and Ben Shikongo took two wickets each in the match.
He is counted among the good T20 all-rounders.
Born in Roodepoort, Gutang Province, South Africa, Wiz is counted among the best players in the short format. He has played 15 ODIs and 51 T20Is so far. In ODIs he has taken 15 wickets besides scoring 330 runs with one half-century, while in T20Is he has taken 57 wickets besides scoring 582 runs with three half-centuries. In T20 Internationals, he has taken 4 wickets in an innings and 5 wickets in an innings once in his 15 ODIs, 6 for South Africa and 9 for Namibia and 20 for South Africa out of 51 T20Is. There are 31 for Namibia.
Tags: ICC T20 World Cup, T20 cricket, T20 World Cup
First published: June 10, 2024, 17:03 IST