Nervous Pakistan face Namibia with the final Super Eight spot on the line. Will they secure their place or face a third straight first-round exit at a men's ICC event? Pakistan's one goal against Namibia is simple: do not lose. Victory will secure them a Super Eight berth, while a washout will see them miss out once more. But a loss against Namibia could see them exit the tournament for the third time in a row. Pakistan should have enough to overcome Namibia, but frayed nerves could play havoc if the Namibians turn it into a scrap. Pakistan's loss against India exposed their one-dimensional bowling plans and shook their confidence. They will need to make changes, including a tweak to their bowling combination to allow more pace. However, they will need to do more than they did against USA last week. Namibia, already eliminated, go into the game with a level of freedom Pakistan does not have. Their strength lies at the top of the batting order, where they caused discomfort to both USA and the Netherlands. Namibia will need to play the perfect game for long enough to cause the upset of the tournament and do their fellow Associates a big favor. Saim Ayub and Louren Steenkamp will be in the spotlight. Ayub has established his all-round T20 credentials, but a standout innings with the bat at an T20 World Cup remains elusive. Steenkamp, relatively new to the Namibian side, is already among their most explosive run-scorers. Pakistan are expected to make changes after their widely panned performance against India. Shaheen and Babar's spots are in question, with quick bowlers Naseem Shah and Salman Mirza set to come in. Fakhar Zaman and Khawaja Nafay may also be called up for their first games this tournament. Namibia made a couple of changes to their side for the game against USA, and may make one more here. Fast bowler Max Heingo has endured a difficult start, and Jack Brassell is the obvious replacement. The pitch at the Sinhalese Sports Club is a black soil pitch, which was used for the game between Ireland and Oman. There is a mild chance of rain around the time the game is scheduled to start, but the forecast should clear up soon after. Abrar Ahmed is one wicket away from completing 50 T20I scalps for Pakistan, and when they faced Namibia in 2021, they scored 189. Usman Tariq backs Pakistan's star players to come good, saying that they know how to bounce back after such games.
