Namibia became the 16th team to seal its spot at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after brushing aside Tanzania by 63 runs in the first semifinal of the Africa Regional Final on Thursday.
The Eagles looked in early trouble at 41/4 inside five overs, but their experienced pair of Gerhard Erasmus and JJ Smit steadied the innings with a brilliant 88-run stand in just 7.4 overs.
Erasmus anchored with 55 from 41 balls, while Smit lived up to his reputation with a powerful unbeaten 61 off 43 deliveries – clearing the ropes four times and lifting Namibia to 169/6.
With the ball, Smit made it his day to remember. The all-rounder ripped through Tanzania’s top order, claiming 3/16 from four overs to shut down the chase. Tanzania folded meekly, and Namibia’s celebrations began well before the final ball was bowled.
This qualification marks Namibia’s fourth straight T20 World Cup appearance, after playing in 2021, 2022 and 2024. Their most iconic moment came in 2022, when they stunned Sri Lanka in the opening match – a result that still resonates in Namibian cricket folklore.
“The boys showed real character after the early wickets. We’ve worked hard for this and we’re excited to represent Namibia again on the world stage,” skipper Erasmus said after the win.
Zimbabwe or Kenya to join Namibia
The second African spot for next year’s tournament in India and Sri Lanka will be decided later on Thursday, with hosts Zimbabwe taking on Kenya in the other semifinal. The final is scheduled for Saturday, though the outcome will not impact qualification.
Before Namibia’s win, 15 teams had already qualified for the T20 World Cup. The remaining three spots will be determined in the Asia and East Asia-Pacific qualifiers beginning October 8 in Oman, where teams such as Nepal, UAE, Oman, Japan and Papua New Guinea are in contention.
Namibia’s T20 World Cup Journey
- 2021 – Historic debut, reached Super 12s.
- 2022 – Beat Sri Lanka in one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
- 2024 – Continued as a mainstay in the global event.
- 2026 – Now eyeing another memorable campaign in India and Sri Lanka.
With Namibia already through, the spotlight now shifts to Zimbabwe and Kenya, as African cricket awaits its second qualifier for next year’s global showpiece.
