A game between Namibia and Sri Lanka in Geelong might have felt like a low-key start to a World Cup, but Namibia lit a spark under the tournament with a sensational win over the team that won the Asia Cup just five weeks ago.

Sri Lanka won the toss and asked Namibia to bat first, promptly removing both openers early on. Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton scored 20 from 12 balls batting at number 3, but was out in the fifth over with Namibia on 35-3.

Stephan Baard (26 from 24) and Gerhard Erasmus (20 from 24) contributed, but when David Wiese was caught behind from his first ball, Namibia were on 93-6 in the 15th over and were looking out of it.

As associate cricket watchers know though, Namibia bat well down the order and they had JJ Smit - one of the most feared hitters in the associate game - coming in at number 8. He smashed 31 from just 16 balls and put on 70 in 5.4 overs with Jan Frylinck who top scored with 44 from 28 balls before he fell from the last ball of the innings.

David Wiese removed Kusal Mendis in the second over of the run chase, whilst Ben Shikongo, only in the game because of a hamstring injury to Ruben Trumpelmann, took two wickets in two balls in the fourth over to leave Sri Lanka reeling on 21-3.

The wickets continued to come, with only Bhanuka Rajapaksa (20) and Dasun Shanaka (29) offering any sort of resistance. The Sri Lankan innings ended when Wiese removed Dushmantha Chameera and Sri Lanka had been bowled out for 108, losing by 55 runs.

Comparisons will inevitably be drawn with the Netherlands opening the 2009 tournament by beating England at Lord’s, but this felt different. Namibia didn’t just creep over the line, they comprehensively outplayed Sri Lanka. A massive upset that blows the group wide open.