A fine all round performance by Jan Frylinck helped Namibia stun Asia Cup Champions Sri Lanka by 55 runs in the first match of their Group A qualifier on Sunday.
After being asked to bat first by Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka, Namibia were rocked early as both Michael van Lingen (3) and Divan la Cock (9) departed cheaply, leaving the African side at 16/2.
Chamika Karunaratne then got into the act by claiming the dangerous looking Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton to a brilliant one handed catch by wicket keeper Kusal Mendis for 20.
The pair of Stephan Baard along with skipper Gerhard Erasmus resurrected the innings with a valuable fourth wicket stand of 41 runs before the latter (20) perished to Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva.
Baard fell soon after as Namibia lost half their side with the score on 91. Maheesh Theekshana then bagged David Wiese for a golden duck, edging one to Mendis behind the stumps.
However Jan Frylinck (44) and JJ Smit (31)* bailed their side out of trouble with a crucial 70 run stand for the seventh wicket to take Namibia to a competitive total of 163/7.
For Sri Lanka, Pramod Madushan Liyanagamage was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/37.
Chasing 164, David Wiese drew first blood by dismissing Kusal Mendis (6), top edging a pull to Zane Green. Ben Shikongo then struck twice in succession- first by dismissing Pathum Nissanka and then bagging Danushka Gunathilaka, leaving Sri Lanka in trouble at 21/3.
Dasun Shanaka (29) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa were the only two batsman to offer any kind of resistance as the Islanders folded for 108 runs, thrashing to a 55 run defeat in the process.
Namibia 163 for 7 (Frylinck 44, Smit 33*, Madushan 2-37) beat Sri Lanka 108 all out (Shanaka 29, Wiese 2-16, Scholtz 2-18, Shikongo 2-22, Frylinck 2-26) by 55 runs