Ton-up Farhan fires Pakistan into Super Eight

Colombo, Feb. 19: Sahibzada Farhan hit a magnificent unbeaten century to help Pakistan seal the final Super Eight berth at the T20 World Cup with a thumping 102-run win over Namibia in Colombo on Wednesday.

Farhan scored 100 not out off 58 balls with four sixes and 10 fours as Pakistan posted 199-3 before they routed Namibia for 97 in 17.3 overs.

Pakistan's victory took them to six points from four games in Group A and eliminated the United States, who finished with four points.

India also have six points and play the Netherlands in the group's final game later Wednesday.

The defending champions India, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies will play each other in the Super eights Group 1, hosted in India.

Pakistan join New Zealand, England and co-hosts Sri Lanka in Group 2, hosted in Sri Lanka.

After a morale-shattering 61-run defeat against India, Pakistan needed a victory to avoid an early exit, which was achieved with ease as spinners Usman Tariq (4-16) and Shadab Khan (3-19) tore through the Namibia batting.

Louren Steenkamp scored 23 while Alexander Busing-Volschenk was the only other batsman to reach double figures with 20.

Farhan earlier blasted a six and a four off pace bowler Jack Brassell to enter the 90s before taking a single off Gerhard Erasmus to complete his hundred in the final over.

Farhan is the only second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh.

Shadab Khan, promoted to number five with Babar Azam left out, hit three sixes and a four in his 36 not out off 22 balls as Pakistan smashed 42 from the last three overs.

Farhan put on 40 for the opening wicket with Saim Ayub (14) before consolidating the innings during a 67-run second wicket stand with captain Salman Agha (38).

Pakistan also left out pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi after a poor show in the first three matches, including conceding 31 in two overs in the defeat against India on Sunday.

Farhan's ton means this is the first T20 World Cup in which three centuries have been scored.

He followed Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka, who scored a hundred against Australia on Monday, and Canada's Yuvraj Sama who reached three figures against New Zealand on Tuesday.

South Africa warning 

South Africa sent a T20 World Cup warning to co-hosts India after romping to a six-wicket win over the United Arab Emirates in New Delhi on Wednesday.

After restricting the Emiratis to 122-6 on a pitch enlivened by morning rain, South Africa raced to 123-4 in just 13.2 overs to complete a perfect group phase with four wins out of four.

Next up for Aiden Markram's side is a repeat of the 2024 final against India in Ahmedabad on Sunday in their first match of the Super Eights.

India won the final in Barbados to lift the trophy and are firm favourites to repeat on home soil.

But South Africa have shown they are serious title contenders again, emerging top of a potentially tricky Group D that contained New Zealand and Afghanistan.

There was a nasty moment in the 16th over when the UAE's Alishan Sharafu was hit flush on the peak of his helmet by a Corbin Bosch bouncer that saw parts of the headgear go flying.

The batsman was cleared to continue after a concussion check and slashed Bosch's next delivery to deep third man where it fell just short of Anrich Nortje but squirmed under him and went for four.

The moment encapsulated an uncharacteristically sloppy fielding performance by South Africa in the dead-rubber match.

They spilled four straightforward chances in the outfield and Markram acknowledged they will need to be sharper against India.

"We let ourselves down today in the field, not up to the mark at all" said the captain. "You don't want to create anything mentally by not being switched on. So nice little lesson for us to learn there," added Markram.

"I've got no doubt the boys will be up for it again in Ahmedabad."

Sharafu top-scored for the UAE with 45 while, for South Africa, Dewald Brevis scored 36 and Ryan Rickelton 30.

Player of the match Bosch bowled a superb spell of 3-12 from his four overs. (AFP)