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Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus wants to take as many positives from the match against Sri Lanka as the players can in order to be in the groove for their next encounter of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021.
Sri Lanka's bowlers brilliantly restricted Namibia before Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Avishka Fernando helped chase down a modest total (97) in style to start their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign with an impressive seven-wicket victory on Monday in Group A. Competing in the tournament for the first time, Namibia came into the T20 World Cup as a team in form - winning 18 of the 22 T20Is they had played in their history, including three warm-up matches - but the 2014 champions showed their class in all three phases. Gerhard Erasmus, the Namibia captain also said the players have to regroup as they gear up for two must-win games on Wednesday and Friday. "Have to take the positives from what we can. Have to regroup. Two important games coming up. Sri Lanka have a quality bowling attack. I guess with 96 on the board - the batsmen have to come to the party," said Erasmus during the post-match presentation. "He's (Trumpelmann) always ready to bowl fast. Delighted for him to get a wicket. It's a great way to put our brand out there, and inspire the kids to play on the world stage," he added. Sri Lanka were alert in the field and all five bowlers used took at least one wicket, with mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana's three for 24 the highlight as Namibia were all out for just 96. Namibia did take three early wickets in response but Rajapaksa (42 not out) and Fernando (30 not out) added a brilliant unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 74 in just 8.2 overs to see them home with 39 balls to spare. The Sri Lankan team sported black armbands and both teams observed a moment's silence before the match in memory of the country's first Test captain, Bandula Warnapura, who died on Monday aged 68. (ANI)
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