Cricket Namibia honours teams
Cricket Namibia (CN) honoured three of its national teams on Monday during a capping session held at a Windhoek hotel.
The senior men’s national team, the senior women’s national team and the men’s under-19 national team were capped for representing Namibia at various tournaments.
Speaking at the capping ceremony, CN Vice President Polly Negongo said it was with pride they are holding an important event to cap three national teams at the same time – something that has never happened in Namibia before.
“We are giving recognition to the senior [men’s] national team, the Under-19 team and welcome back our ladies from Botswana,” Negongo said.
He explained the women’s team had lost in two finals in the last month, despite having been the whipping girls 18 months ago.
Meanwhile, Gerhard Erasmus, captain of the senior men’s national team (the Eagles) said it was a great honour to lead the team to their first-ever T20 World Cup finals.
Also present at the capping session was Chalo Chainda from
the Namibia Sports Commission, who paid tribute to cricket Namibia for becoming the first sports
code in Namibia to be fully professionalised.
“CN is once again the trendsetter
by becoming professional. They are also leading in terms of transformation. They have given opportunities to previously disadvantaged Namibians to showcase their talents at the highest level and put bread on their tables,” Chainda said, referring to several black players who are now regulars in the various cricket national teams.
Former national team captain Deon Kotze said the current team is possibly the best-ever to represent Namibia, as they play cricket without fear, a situation made possible by the professionalisation of the sport.
The Eagles will leave Namibia on Saturday for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman, where they will participate in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, scheduled for 17 October to 14 November.
The women’s team returned home recently from Gaborone, Botswana, where they participated in the 2022 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa qualifier.
The Under-19 team will jet off to Rwanda for the World Cup qualifiers, scheduled for 28 September to 7 October in Kigali.