NAMIBIA CLINCH AFRICA QUALIFIER TO SEAL SPOT AT U19 MEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP IN SRI LANKA

ICC_ Namibia became the third team to punch their tickets for the U19 World Cup 2024 through the Qualifier route. Last month, New Zealand went through from the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier while Nepal advanced from Asia in February 2023. The three teams join 11 others — Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe — who automatically qualified as the best-placed Full Member nations from the previous edition in 2022.

After registering another impressive victory over Nigeria on Sunday, Namibia triumphed in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Africa Qualifier to seal a spot at next year’s main event in Sri Lanka.

Following eight days of high-quality competition in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, the Walvis Bay Salt Eagles produced another dominant display to complete their unbeaten run through the event, and become the 14th team to secure qualification to the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024.

Namibia now join Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe as the confirmed teams in Sri Lanka.

Heading into Sunday’s final match at the top of the table with victories in each of their three completed matches, Namibia needed only to avoid a heavy defeat to secure their first appearance at the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup since 2016.

Posting 148 for nine from their 50 overs, which included valuable runs from opener Gerhard Johannes Janse Van Rensburg (25) and a spirited middle-order contribution from skipper Alexander Büsing-Volschenk (34 not out), Namibia’s fierce bowling attack once again stole the headlines, reducing the opposition to 95 all out in response, to seal a 53-run victory amid jubilant scenes.

With wickets falling regularly as Nigeria attempted to chase down the total, Peter-Daniel Blignaut was the star performer for Namibia, his five wickets for 23 runs tearing through the Nigerian batting lineup.

Sunday’s victory characterised the success Namibia’s bowlers enjoyed throughout the competition, as they restricted the opposition to under 100 runs in every fixture.

Speaking on the triumph, Namibia captain Alexander Büsing-Volschenk said, “I am really happy. It actually means more than the world for a young guy like me in Namibia to have a chance to go to the World Cup in Sri Lanka.

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