After Namibia has had a dream of 2019 so far, Dubai will be one of the most dangerous teams in the T20 World Cup qualifiers for the 2019 ICC men.
Namibia, ranked 19th in the ICC men’s T20I team classification, will be added to the T20 qualifying campaign as a secured team. So far, Gerhard Erasmus and his men have had an outstanding year in 2019: they won the ICC World Cricket League Division Two in April 2019, securing their first international status for the first time since 2003 – before competing in the ICC World Twenty20 Africa Qualifier Final Trophy region in May.
Namibia has not yet lost a game with T20I status and will, therefore, be one of the favorites to make it to Australia for the T20 World Cup next year. In fact, they have lost just one of twelve internationals this year.
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Who do you think will walk away with the trophy? pic.twitter.com/D36tiRr0Dq
How did Namibia get In?
With five wins in six games, Namibia finished in second place in the ICC World T20 Africa Region Qualification C in 2018, behind Botswana, which was unbeaten in the competition. At the ICC World Twenty20 Africa Region Qualifying Final earlier this year Namibia turned the tables and emerged as the tournament winner.
T20 World Cup History
Namibia has never qualified for the main event, but the 2012 T20 World Cup qualifier brought a heartbreaking victory. They took third place in the points table when the first two teams – Ireland and Afghanistan – reached the 2012 T20 World Cup. You already participated in the 2003 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Key Players
JP Kotze: Namibia’s first and only centurion in both limited-overs formats. Kotze is her most important batsman. He has scored 121 runs at 60.50 in three T20I appearances and an outstanding hit rate of 189.06. His sensational 148 against Hong Kong earlier this year was crucial for Namibia to secure ODI status.
One to watch
Christi Viljoen: The leading wicket-taker in the African final, the right-center striker Viljoen, was one of the most reliable players in Namibia. He has claimed nine wickets in his last three outings for Namibia, including excellent 5/9 results against Botswana. In 67 T20 years, Viljoen has taken 74 gates at 17.94, including three four-gate trains.
Fixtures
19 October: v Netherlands, ICC Academy, Dubai
20 October: v Papua New Guinea, ICC Global Cricket Academy No 2, Dubai
22 October: v Scotland, ICC Academy, Dubai
23 October: v Bermuda, ICC Global Cricket Academy No 2, Dubai
25 October: v Kenya, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
26 October: v Singapore, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
