Team preview: Namibia
Overview
Placed 19th on the ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings, Namibia will go into the T20 Qualifier an assured side. Gerhard Erasmus and his men have had an excellent 2019 so far: they started off by winning the 2019 ICC World Cricket League Division Two in April – also securing one-day international status for the first time since 2003 – before lifting the ICC World Twenty20 Africa Region Qualifier Final trophy in May.
Namibia have not lost a game with T20I status so far, and will thus be one of the favourites to make it to the T20 World Cup in Australia next year. In fact, they have lost just one out of 12 international games this year.
Meet the captains of the #T20WorldCup Qualifier!
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 14, 2019
Who do you think will walk away with the trophy? pic.twitter.com/D36tiRr0Dq
How they got here
With five wins in six games, Namibia finished second in the ICC World T20 Africa Region Qualifier C standings in 2018, behind Botswana, who were unbeaten in the competition. However, in the ICC World Twenty20 Africa Region Qualifier Final earlier this year, Namibia turned the tables to emerge as tournament winners.
T20WC history
Namibia have never qualified for the main event, but they came heartbreakingly close in the T20 World Cup Qualifier in 2012. They finished third on the points table, as the first two teams – Ireland and Afghanistan – advanced to the 2012 T20 World Cup. They have previously participated in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2003.
Key player
JP Kotze: Namibia's first and only centurion in both the limited-overs formats, Kotze is their most important batsman. He has scored 121 runs at 60.50 in three T20I appearances, and has a terrific strike-rate of 189.06. His sensational 148 against Hong Kong earlier this year was vital in Namibia securing ODI status.
One to watch
Christi Viljoen: The leading wicket-taker in the Africa final, right-arm medium-pacer Viljoen has been one of Namibia's most reliable players. He has claimed nine wickets in his last three appearances for Namibia, including excellent figures of 5/9 against Botswana. In 67 T20s, Viljoen has taken 74 wickets at 17.94, including three four-wicket hauls.
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