Namibia has secured their place in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 after emerging victorious in the Africa Qualifier. Namibia qualifies as the third team through the Qualifier route, following New Zealand and Nepal. These three teams will join the 11 automatically qualified teams, which were the best-placed Full Member nations in the previous edition in 2022.
The automatically qualified teams are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Zimbabwe. Throughout the Africa Qualifier, Namibia showcased their dominance by remaining unbeaten. Their journey began with their first match against Uganda, which was abandoned due to rain.
However, they quickly recovered and went on to win all their subsequent games. Notably, Namibia’s bowlers played a pivotal role in defending low totals, with their highest score in the tournament reaching only 170 runs.
The Namibia U-19 team remained undefeated throughout the Africa Qualifier
In the match against Tanzania on July 24, Namibia’s captain, Alexander Büsing-Volschenk, played a leading role, scoring 39 runs to help his team set a decent total of 139. The bowlers put up a strong performance, and Tanzania was bundled out for just 33, resulting in a convincing 106-run win for Namibia.
Their dominance continued against Kenya, who managed to score a mere 64 runs after being put in to bat first. Namibia chased down the target with ease, winning the game by 7 wickets within 17 overs.
In their match against Sierra Leone, Namibia secured another emphatic victory, defeating their opponents by 83 runs, with left-arm pacer Morris Gerhardt Kariata impressing with a four-wicket haul. Namibia concluded the Africa Qualifier on a high note, successfully defending a target of 149 against Nigeria. Peter-Daniel Blignaut stood out with an impressive five-wicket haul, leading the team to a 53-run victory.
While Namibia has sealed their spot for the U19 World Cup, two more places are yet to be filled. The Europe Regional Qualifier, scheduled to take place between August 6 and 12 in the Netherlands, will see the hosts competing against Guernsey, Italy, Jersey, Norway, and Scotland for qualification.
The Americas Regional Qualifier, commencing on August 11, will feature Argentina, Bermuda, Canada, Suriname, and the USA vying for the remaining spot.
As the cricketing world eagerly anticipates the U19 Men’s marquee event, Namibia’s impressive performances serve as a testament to their talent and potential, setting the stage for an exciting and competitive tournament in Sri Lanka next year.
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