By Staff Reporter
Windhoek, January 4 — Cricket Namibia has named its squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, with seasoned all-rounder Gerhard Erasmus confirmed as captain as the national side prepares for its fourth consecutive appearance at the global tournament.
Namibia booked their place at the World Cup following a dominant campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier in Harare, where they finished unbeaten at the top of Group A before comfortably defeating Tanzania in the semi-finals.
In that decisive encounter, Namibia recovered strongly to post 174 for six, with half-centuries from JJ Smit and captain Erasmus anchoring the innings. The bowlers then delivered a disciplined performance, as Smit and Ben Shikongo shared six wickets to restrict Tanzania to 111 for eight, sealing a convincing 63-run victory and qualification for the 2026 event in India and Sri Lanka.
Several players stood out during the qualification campaign, notably Nicol Loftie-Eaton, who was named Bowler of the Tournament after claiming 10 wickets at an average of 6.40 and an economy rate of 4.92. Louren Steenkamp also made a strong impression, scoring a fluent 40 off 27 balls in the final, while his partnership with Erasmus (38 off 32) highlighted Namibia’s growing composure in high-pressure matches.
At the previous T20 World Cup, Namibia managed a single victory, edging Oman in a Super Over. With experience gained at the highest level, the Eagles will be aiming to translate those lessons into more consistent performances in 2026.
Continuity has been prioritised in selection, with nine players retained from the 2024 squad to form the backbone of the team. They are joined by a group of emerging talents, including Loftie-Eaton, Steenkamp, JC Balt, WP Myburgh and Max Heingo, as Namibia seek to better their best tournament finish — reaching the Super 12 stage in 2021.
Namibia have been drawn in a challenging Group A alongside cricketing heavyweights India and Pakistan, as well as the Netherlands and the United States.
Namibia squad:
Gerhard Erasmus (captain), Zane Green, Bernard Scholtz, Ruben Trumpelmann, JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, Louren Steenkamp, Malan Kruger, Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Jack Brassell, Ben Shikongo, JC Balt, Dylan Leicher, WP Myburgh, Max Heingo.
Travelling reserve: Alexander Volschenk.
Group A fixtures:
February 10: vs Netherlands — Delhi (11:00 AM IST)
February 12: vs India — Delhi (7:00 PM IST)
February 15: vs USA — Chennai (3:00 PM IST)
February 18: vs Pakistan — Colombo (3:00 PM IST)
