T20 World Cup: We want to build on this momentum, says Rizwan after after UAE win

Showing remarkable composure at the death, Muhammad Waseem, a hard-hitting opening batsman and a part-time medium pacer, used his slower balls superbly to end the UAE's 26-year wait for victory in a World Cup match.

In a match where fortunes kept swinging like a pendulum, David Wiese (55 off 36 balls) and Ruben Trumpelmann (25 not out off 24 balls) seemed to have tilted the balance in Namibia's favour when they needed 21 off 12 balls.

Wiese and Trumpelmann staged a stirring fightback after the Africans were gasping for breath at 69 for seven while chasing 149.

But Zahoor Khan (4-0-20-2), who had earlier produced two dream yorkers to break through the defences of Jan Frylinck (14) and Zane Green (2) in the 13th over, refused to go down without a fight.

The veteran pacer conceded only seven runs in a stifling penultimate over, never giving Wiese and Trumpelmann the freedom to swing their bats.

Then Waseem, who has earlier set the platform for the UAE's competitive total of 148 for three with a 50 off 41 balls, was given the responsibility to defend 14 runs in the final over.

It was not a task for the faint-hearted, but Waseem rose to the challenge — perhaps the biggest challenge of his life on a cricket field.

Drawing inspiration from his experience of bowling death overs in UAE's local club matches, Waseem gave away only six runs in the final over and struck the decisive blow when he had Wiese caught in the deep by Alishan Sharafu.

In the end, the Namibians finished their innings at 141 for eight, sparking wild celebrations among the UAE players.

The 37-year-old Wiese, who had also played international cricket for South Africa in the past, was inconsolable at the dug out as Namibia bowed out of the tournament with a heartbreaking loss.

The thrilling UAE victory ended Namibia's hopes of qualifying for the Super 12 as Sri Lanka and the Netherlands advanced to the next round from Group A.