Tough schedule ahead for senior cricket team
The Namibian Cricket team has a hectic schedule ahead of them especially with the Intercontinental Cup and World Cricket League pencilled for October.
In preparation for the crucial games, Coach, Dayanand Thakur and his squad will get their first chance to show-case their skills when they take on the South African provisional sides Kwa-Zulu-Natal Inland, North West and the Western Province in the group phase of the African T20 Cup beginning on Friday 2 September, in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
“No associate country has ever won a group stage at this event, but that is what we are striving for. We cannot go there to only compete,” he said Thakur.
Thakur said, a lot of the pressure will rest on the shoulders of established players such as Sarel Burger, Craig Williams, Gerrie Snyman, Nicolaas and Bernard Scholtz, Helao ya France and Stephen Baard who have all committed to the side for the next two years.
Meanwhile, Namibia will also get further preparation time, when they take on Saudi Arabia in Windhoek for three friendly games slated for 14 to 22 September. The two nations will play one T20 match followed by two 50 over games the following two days.
In October his team will travel to Papua New Guinea to battle in the Intercontinental Cup set for 16 to 19 October, while also fighting for World Cricket League points against the islanders at the same venue two days later.
Thakur, said this earlier this week, that cricket is in a bad position in the Intercontinental Cup and World Cricket League and risks being relegated to a lower division in the future.
“We must win both games or risk being relegated. Papua New Guinea is a quality side but we beat them convincingly last year and we are confident that we can get a good result there,” he said. Namibia currently stands at one win and two losses.
The ICC World Cricket League Championship is an elite 50 over competition played between leading Associate and Affiliate members. It is the pathway for participating teams to play in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 and subsequently have a chance to qualify for ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.
