Dutch double-up with tense win over Namibia

Bas de Leede has produced more heroics to overcome a late scare and lead the Netherlands to a five-wicket T20 World Cup win over Namibia.

The Dutch are the only unbeaten team in Group A after Tuesday's tight victory in Geelong.

They are on the verge of progressing past the ‘qualifying’ stage for only the second time in their five T20 World Cup appearances.

A massive game on Thursday against Sri Lanka will determine whether they finish in the top two and go through to the Super 12 matches.

After taking three wickets in Sunday night's narrow win over the UAE, de Leede was man of the match again against Namibia.

He snared the key Namibian wickets of Jan Frylinck and captain Gerhard Erasmus in the second-last over.

But his unbeaten 30 from 30 balls was the difference as he and Tim Pringle (8no) guided the Dutch home with three balls left.

Needing six off the last over, de Leede crucially belted the first delivery from David Wiese for four before hitting the winning runs two balls later.

After winning the toss, Namibia slumped to 3-32 in the sixth over and they were on the back foot for much of their innings.

They were only 3-56 after 10 overs, but their game-one hero Frylinck combined with Stephan Baard (19) and Erasmus (16) in the later overs.

Frylinck top-scored with 43 from 48 balls as Namibia scored 31 from their last three overs.

The Netherlands were cruising with Vikram Singh (39) and Max O'Dowd putting on 59 for the first wicket in 8.2 overs.

They had reached 1-92 when O'Dowd was run out for 35 on the second-last ball of the 14th.

That sparked a collapse of 4-10 in 18 balls that suddenly had the Dutch in strife at 5-101 in the 16th over, before de Leede and Pringle combined to stave off the Namibian fightback.

After their massive upset win over Sri Lanka on Sunday, Namibia now must beat the UAE on Thursday night if they are to reach the Super 12 stage.