Netherlands through after four-wicket win

A dream start in the field for Netherlands set up a tight chase as the Dutch booked a spot in the ICC World Twenty20 for the third time with a four-wicket win. Namibia held out hope for an unlikely victory after Bernard Scholtz spun through Netherlands middle order with 3 for 14 to leave the them at 103 for 5 in the 15th over, needing 136 to win. However, Max O'Dowd and Roelof van der Merwe put on a 30-run stand before Mudassar Bukhari hit the winning boundary through cover with four balls to spare.

Netherlands now to move on to the semifinals against Ireland on Saturday while Namibia will have a second chance to qualify for the World T20 when they take on Oman in an elimination match on Thursday.

Namibia's nerves made for a nightmare in the first two overs, as both openers were gone with only five runs on the board. Gerrie Snyman hared hopelessly from the non-striker's end on the second delivery of the match and a throw from Bukhari at square leg to the bowler Michael Swart dismissed Namibia's most explosive player without facing a ball.

Stephen Baard skied a short ball from Timm van der Gugten to van der Merwe at cover and the group stage's leading scorer was out for just 4. Craig Williams and Raymond van Schoor remained positive, though, with Williams striking four boundaries in the Powerplay to take Namibia to 37 for 2 after six overs.

The pair added 57 for the third wicket in eight overs before Williams holed out to midwicket for 43 off Peter Borren and at the halfway mark Namibia were 62 for 3. Van Schoor was lured out of his crease pushing forward to van der Merwe and stumped for 16 off 25 balls in the 12th. Borren, Bukhari and Pieter Seelaar continued to tie down the Namibia lineup through the 16th with Gerhard Erasmus caught in the deep off Bukhari for 5.

Only 30 runs were added from overs 11 to 16, but captain Nicolaas Scholtz gave Namibia a fighting chance with his late 37 off 23 balls. He struck two sixes over long off against van der Merwe in the 17th and another 13 runs were taken in the 19th off Bukhari. His stand with Sarel Burger ended at 52 on the second-last ball of the innings when Nicolaas was caught behind swishing against van der Gugten.

Though Malahide has been a low-scoring ground through the four days of matches so far, 133 never looked like it was going to be enough against a deep Netherlands batting unit. Snyman managed to snag Wesley Barresi on the first ball of the chase as the opener flicked a leading edge up to the keeper JP Kotze on a delivery that had been heading well down leg for a wide if left alone.

Namibia needed to take all their chances in the field to keep pressure on Netherlands but the first of three was shelled in the third over off Snyman. Myburgh drove hard to Williams at mid-off on 9 but a lunging effort was spilled. He made Namibia pay in the fourth over by smacking JJ Smit for three consecutive boundaries. He hit his sixth four off Jason Davidson in the fifth, but the tall seamer came back with a slower ball to get Myburgh for 31, making it 45 for 2 after five.

Bernard was brought on in the ninth over and his valiant Man-of-the-Match effort was nearly enough for Namibia. He extracted prodigious turn from outside off to beat Ben Cooper through the gate on his second ball to make it 70 for 3 and started the 13th by getting Borren to scoop one to Williams at long off. He should've had Swart stumped for 22 three balls later but a regulation chance was fumbled by Kotze. He managed to get Swart in the 15th, though, pushing a low return catch that withstood scrutiny from the third umpire, but with his spell done, Namibia's attack was out of bullets.

A six by van der Merwe to start the 17th over brought the required rate back under a run-a-ball and the Dutch looked certain to get across the line with just three needed off the final over. Van der Merwe tried to end it with a heave but was beaten in flight and bowled by Nicolaas. Bukhari coolly drove the winning runs off the following ball.