As the T20 World Cup 2022 kicked off, the tournament appears to have found its first breakout star. After Sri Lanka restricted Namibia to 163 for 7 in their 20 overs, stage was set for the Asia Cup 2022 champions to breeze through and hit the ground running. However, a sensational over by the 22-year-old Ben Shikongo turned the tables, putting Sri Lanka in deep trouble.
Bowling a double-wicket maiden where he came unnervingly close to taking a hat-trick. With Sri Lanka rattled by minnows, Twitter was soon abuzz with praises for Ben Shikongo. Several cricket fans hailed his brilliant bowling. Check out the video of his sensational double-wicket spell:
Fans hailed Shikongo on Twitter whose name soon started trending with the cricket world taking notice. Some users also reminded that Shikongo had picked 3 wickets in 4 balls in Namibia’s T20 warm up match against Ireland, clearly indicating that his brilliant double-wicket maiden over against Sri Lank was not a fluke.
Ben Shikongo #Cricket #SLvNAM #SriLanka #Namibia #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/pU4weJMCRx
— Jega8 (@imBK08) October 16, 2022
Shikongo!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) October 16, 2022
#Shikongo Reminds me of
Olonga from Zim
.
Mark my words
If #Namibia wins today
Shikonga should be a
Sensation in this WC pic.twitter.com/Iwd6qjXFLW
— Berlin (@writter_vambu) October 16, 2022
Ben Shikongo. Wow. Brilliant. Just brilliant. #SLvNAM #Namibia #T20WorldCup2022
— Real Timo (@RealTimo10) October 16, 2022
Biggest cheer of the first day of #t20worldcup so far greets Bhanuka Rajapaksa to the wicket. Then he only just survives hat trick ball v Ben Shikongo. Asia Cup champs not doing it easy against Namibia, 21/3 pic.twitter.com/JTW2xmWMk0
— Paul Radley (@PaulRadley) October 16, 2022
Shikongo!
Even more impressive was my mum’s reaction: “Hooley Dooley!”#t20worldcup #SLvNAB
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) October 16, 2022
What an over shikongo …#T20WorldCup2022 #SLvsNAM pic.twitter.com/KZNvl7577t
— Prethilan (@PrethilanF) October 16, 2022
Shikongo just 1 inch outside the leg on the hat trick ball what a bowling man
— Abdul Samad (@shalmeen132) October 16, 2022
Ben Shikongo on fire – 2 wickets in 2 balls. Sri Lanka now 3 down for just 21.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 16, 2022
Shikongo also contributed for another wicket taking a confident catch in the outfield. Video was shared online:
Follow live updates from the Sri Lanka vs Namibia match here: T20 World Cup 2022, SL vs NAM Live Updates: SL in deep trouble, Ben Shikongo stars for NAM
Who is Ben Shikongo?
Born at the turn of the millennium in 2000, Shikongo made his first-class debut in 2018. He has been a part of the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup squad for Namibia. His T20I debut came the next year when he was also named in Cricket Namibia’s Elite Men’s Squad. This is his first major tournament. Surely, Ben Shikongo will have the attention of IPL franchises with the remarkable first glimpses of brilliance at the biggest stage.
