The national men’s cricket team, the FNB Eagles, was sent off yesterday ahead of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup, set to take place from 7 February to 8 March 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
The team departs for Dubai tomorrow, where they will undergo an eight-day training camp and play three warm-up matches in preparation for the tournament. This marks the Eagles’ fourth World Cup qualification. With only 20 teams competing at the event, Namibia is honoured to be among the participants.
Head coach Craig Williams confirmed that the team is in good physical and mental condition, adding that they will take each game as it comes, aiming to perform well and make the nation proud.
“We are going to India not as underdogs, but to compete. We are no longer going for experience; this is our fourth World Cup. We are now planning how we are going to beat the big countries,” Williams said.
The Eagles will face the Netherlands on 10 February, India on 12 February, the USA on 15 February, and Pakistan on 18 February. Team captain Gerhard Erasmus acknowledged that the challenge ahead will be tough, but he believes a strong start against the Netherlands could set the tone for the remainder of the tournament.
“We are a small nation with a lot of ripples in world cricket and world sport, but we are a tough bunch, and we look forward to making ripples again,” Erasmus said. In previous tournaments, the team progressed beyond the group stage and famously defeated South Africa in a T20 International match on home soil, raising expectations of continued success against bigger cricketing nations.
“As cricketers, we carry the expectations of our country, but at the same time, when you go out to do the job, you want to be free and really express your skills by simply doing what you practised on the training ground,” Erasmus added. Meanwhile, the national women’s team, the Capricorn Eagles, is currently in Nepal for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier. They are set to face Bangladesh today, after losing their opening match to the USA on Tuesday.
