In an ODI match held at the Wanderers Cricket Ground in Windhoek today, the Namibian cricket team faced a crushing defeat against the Karnataka state team from India. The NAM vs KAR series consists of 5 ODIs, with the first match taking place today. Karnataka captain Ravikumar Samarth won the toss and elected to bowl first. Namibia's batting performance was lacklustre, resulting in the team being all out for a mere 171 runs. Karnataka comfortably chased down the target, reaching it in the 36th over with just one wicket lost.
Karnataka beat Namibia by 9 wickets in the first One-Day match.
What a great performance by Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/YidiPMn41u
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 2, 2023
Namibia's batting innings got off to a disappointing start after choosing to bat first. Opener Nicolas Devine was dismissed for just 4 runs, followed by Michael van Lingen who scored only 5 runs. In the middle order, captain Gerard Erasmus played a crucial innings of 31 runs, while Jan Frylink contributed 57 runs and opener Shaun Fouch added 24 runs. However, apart from these batsmen, the rest of the team struggled to reach the 20-run mark. Namibia's innings concluded with a total of 171 runs in the first ball of the 42nd over. Karnataka's Vidwath Kevarappa claimed the most wickets, taking 4, while Rishi Bopanna took 3 wickets.
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Chasing a relatively easy target of 172 runs in 50 overs, the Karnataka team got off to a strong start. Opener LR Chetan played a vital innings of 37 runs off 37 balls, which included 3 fours and 4 sixes. He was eventually dismissed by Jan Frylink, but not before he had contributed to a 61-run partnership for the first wicket with R. Samarth. Following this, Captain Samarth forged an unbeaten century partnership with Nikin Jose, securing a one-sided victory for his team. Samarth scored 78 runs off 100 balls, while Nikin Jose remained unbeaten with a score of 56 runs. With this victory in the first ODI, Karnataka has taken a 1-0 lead in the series. The next match between the two teams is scheduled for Sunday, June 4.
