Trumpelmann to Kashyap, THATS OUT!! Lbw!!

Kashyap and Naseem Khushi are at the crease. Kashyap is on strike. Trumpelmann will open the attack

The anthems are done and dusted and we are good to go

ICYMI: We got one change to our expert XI after the toss result. Do remember to check out our inputs and match-ups on Fantasy Handbook guide before locking your teams...

Pitch report: It is a magnificent place to play. There's plenty of wind coming in from the east coast. 64 metres and 61 on the side and straight down the ground it is 74. There are a few cracks and the pitch might get a little slower as the game goes on," reckon Matthew Hayden and Eoin Morgan.

Teams:

Oman (Playing XI): Kashyap Prajapati, Naseem Khushi(w), Aqib Ilyas(c), Zeeshan Maqsood, Khalid Kail, Ayaan Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Mehran Khan, Shakeel Ahmed, Kaleemullah, Bilal Khan

Namibia (Playing XI): Michael van Lingen, Nikolaas Davin, Jan Frylinck, Gerhard Erasmus(c), Malan Kruger, JJ Smit, David Wiese, Zane Green(w), Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz, Tangeni Lungameni

Aqib Ilyas: It's good to bat on a fresh wicket and the ball will come on nicely in the night. Really good to play, lots of plans but this is the time to execute it. Everyone is fit.

Gerhard Erasmus: We gonna have a bowl, looks a good wicket and there's some rain around later maybe

Namibia have won the toss and have opted to field

19:36 local, 23:36 GMT, 05:06 IST:

Preview by Bertus de Jong

Familiar foes are facing of on the biggest stage for the first time. Both Namibia and Oman are back for their third World Cup in four editions, but were drawn in opposite groups at the sole previous tournament they both qualified for, and indeed their paths have crossed surprisingly rarely in the shorter format at all despite being well-acquainted as ODI opponents. Prior to the five-match bilateral series the two sides contested at Muscat in April, the pair had only met thrice in T20s, each time at a T20 World Cup Qualifier.

Though Namibia won that recent series 3-2 it's fair to say Oman profited more from it. While the scoreline likely cost Namibia their shot at direct 2026 qualification through the rankings, the series saw Oman land upon what appears to be a winning solution to their opening conundrum, Nasseem Kushi finding a new lease of life promoted up the order.

Namibia nonetheless came out on top in that sea-saw series, which also illustrated some themes which might return in today's match. Most notable is Oman's reliance on quick runs in the powerplay especially with Kushi promoted to open, and the indispensability of their in-form skipper Aaqib Ilyas. Though Namibia have aggressive ball-strikers up top too in Nico Davin and JP Kotze, they also have greater reserves of late hitting power in David Wiese and JJ Smit which allows them to consolidate and then capitalise at the death.

Both teams will look at this game as a must-win if they're to have any hope of staging an improbable break-out from Group B, with matches against Scotland, England and Australia to come the going's unlikely to get easier as the group progresses.

When: Namibia vs Oman, June 2, 12.30 AM GMT, 8.30 PM Local, 6 PM IST

Where: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados

What to expect: Kensington Oval has heavily favoured teams batting first in T20Is, only 7 of 23 chases successful despite a modest average first innings score of 156. Should be said that only seven of those games were under lights, though the trend holds true, and any dew factor is likely to be moot given the passing thunderstorms expected to roll through.

Head to Head in T20Is: 4-2

Team Watch:

Namibia

JJ Smit's bowling has been used sparingly since coming back from injury and he's played exclusively as a specialist bat in 2024 thus far, but may bowl if called upon this tournament. Jan Frylinck, another left arm seam all-rounder, has likewise bowled infrequently of late and often pace-off.

Tactics & Matchups: Erasmus loves bowling at Oman, in the five matches against them in which he's bowled he's never gone at more than five an over and strikes every ten balls on average. Left-handers Zeeshan Maqsood and Ayaan Khan are favourite victims.

Probable XI: Niko Davin, Malan Kruger, JP Kotze, Gerrhard Erasmus (c), David Wiese, Zane Green, Jan Frylinck, JJ Smit, Ruben Trumpelmann, Berhard Scholtz, Tangeni Lungameni

Oman

Though the oldest squad in the tournament at an average age of almost 33, Oman have no reported fitness issues at time of writing.

Tactics & Matchups: Yet to find an answer to Naseem Kushi moving to the top of the order, Namibia may look to starve him of either the strike or pace on the ball in the powerplay, or both. The move leaves Oman with a lack of late hitting however, they may just opt to play rope-clearing all-rounder Rafiullah over one of the frontline seamers despite his lack of recent form.

Probable XI: Kashyap Prajapati, Naseem Khushi, Aqib Ilyas (c), Ayaan Khan, Zeeshan Maqsood, Khallid Kail, Mohammad Nadeem, Mehran Khan, Kaleemullah, Fayyaz Butt, Bilal Khan

Did you know?

Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus has played in every official T20 match between these two teams, going back to the 2012 Global Qualifier when he played as a keeper at the age of 15.

What they said:

Gerhard Erasmus: "Starting off well is obviously the first goal. We had some good success actually against Oman the other day, winning that series 3-2. So we're coming into this game with pretty much a good idea, good information that we have and good confidence."

Aqib Ilyas: "We think we're favourites. As a team, Namibia, we have already played against them. We know what their strength is, what their weakness is. And I feel, all the plans we have made, if we execute them on the field, it's going to be a good game and Oman is going to be the favourites."

Squads:

Squads:

Namibia Squad: Michael van Lingen, Nikolaas Davin, Jan Frylinck, Malan Kruger, JP Kotze, Zane Green(w), David Wiese, Gerhard Erasmus(c), JJ Smit, Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz, Tangeni Lungameni, Ben Shikongo, Dylan Leicher, Peter-Daniel Blignaut, Jack Brassell

Oman Squad: Kashyap Prajapati, Pratik Athavale(w), Aqib Ilyas(c), Zeeshan Maqsood, Khalid Kail, Mehran Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Ayaan Khan, Rafiullah, Shakeel Ahmed, Shoaib Khan, Bilal Khan, Fayyaz Butt, Kaleemullah, Naseem Khushi

Oman Squad: Kashyap Prajapati, Pratik Athavale(w), Aqib Ilyas(c), Zeeshan Maqsood, Khalid Kail, Mehran Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Ayaan Khan, Rafiullah, Shakeel Ahmed, Shoaib Khan, Bilal Khan, Fayyaz Butt, Kaleemullah, Naseem Khushi