Namibia captain credits World Cup exposure for associate teams' growth

Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus believes the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup’s two-year cycle has become a key driver behind the rise of associate nations, giving them regular exposure against elite teams and helping narrow the gap with cricket’s traditional powerhouses.

Namibia will begin their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 10 against Netherlands at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The African side has been drawn in Group A alongside full-member nations India and Pakistan, and fellow associates Netherlands and USA.

In the first match of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, Netherlands gave Pakistan a scare before the Men in Green held their nerves, underlining how the matches against an associate have not been an one-sided affair. 

Exposure remains the biggest hurdle

Speaking to select journalists, Erasmus said Namibia’s biggest challenge has been the lack of regular matches against top international teams, which makes World Cup appearances a rare opportunity to test themselves against the best.

“It’s been difficult at times because you don’t get to play the big teams very often. So that exposure — and then every two years when you come back to a World Cup — it’s a big level and a big step up,” Erasmus said.

“That’s the toughest thing to recreate.”

To bridge that gap, Namibia try to schedule games against teams such as Zimbabwe and South African franchise sides whenever possible. Erasmus described Namibia’s ability to remain competitive despite limited resources as a “remarkable story”.

“We’ve beaten Sri Lanka, the Proteas, Zimbabwe, Ireland — those are the teams we’ve beaten,” he said.

Erasmus credited the team’s rise not only to the players but also to sustained work behind the scenes.

“With limited exposure and resources to have done that, it’s mainly down to a group of players, but also backroom staff, and people investing in cricket over time,” he said.

Small base, growing ambition

While Namibia have become regulars on the world stage, their domestic cricket structure remains modest. Erasmus revealed that there are only four clubs in the country’s top division, with three leagues consisting of eight to 10 teams each.

The pathway for young players is largely built around school cricket, followed by progression through age-group teams such as under-13, under-15 and under-19.

Namibia have also tried to establish an academy and a high-performance programme over the last three to four years, though Erasmus acknowledged the financial challenges in building a stronger system.

“It’s quite tough to get inbound touring teams to come play there or to go outbound with it, because you need money,” he said.

However, he said Namibia’s new ground has begun to attract interest, with touring high-performance teams expected to visit the country.

“We do have some games coming up now… coming to Namibia because we’ve got a new ground, and they want to experience the facilities that have been built there,” Erasmus said.

Cricket’s popularity rising in Namibia

Erasmus believes Namibia’s repeated presence at ICC events has helped cricket grow rapidly in the country, even overtaking rugby in popularity.

“These days, a lot more people follow cricket. I think we’ve, in a sense, overtaken rugby,” he said.

Football remains Africa’s most played sport, but Erasmus said cricket’s visibility has increased significantly because of streaming and television exposure.

“The fact that people see us on streaming, they see us on TV, and they see us every two years playing on the world stage, has created a real sense of anticipation around cricket,” he said.

He added that matchday culture is also evolving, with Namibia embracing a more entertainment-driven atmosphere.

“It creates a cool stadium and creates cool vibes. There’s music, live entertainment and all sorts at the ground these days,” Erasmus said, describing cricket’s rise in Namibia over the last five years as a growing phenomenon.

Franchise leagues giving associate players a career

The Namibian captain also highlighted the importance of franchise T20 leagues in strengthening associate cricket. Erasmus has played four seasons of the ILT20 in the UAE and has also featured in leagues in Nepal and Canada.

From a player’s perspective, he said, leagues have become essential not only for skills but also for sustaining careers financially.

“It’s been very necessary in terms of skills to go abroad and play in those leagues,” Erasmus said.

“For certain players, financially it’s been a breakthrough. It’s enabled them to carry on playing as opposed to take a normal job.”

Erasmus noted that many associate cricketers in the past were forced to quit the sport in their early 30s due to family responsibilities and financial limitations.

Red-ball cricket not a priority

While some associate nations continue to push for longer-format cricket, Erasmus said Namibia have little incentive to invest in red-ball cricket after the ICC discontinued tournaments such as the Intercontinental Cup.

“There’s no real use for us to play red-ball cricket in Namibia because we’re not going to play that in any of our qualification rounds,” he said.

“It doesn’t have any budgetary benefit for us.”

‘Minnows don’t exist anymore’

  Erasmus also rejected the idea that associate teams should be defined by labels, arguing that the gap between nations is shrinking.

“I don’t think any player or team should tag themselves in a certain way,” he said. “Everyone’s human. Everyone hits the same white ball.”

He said Namibia’s win over Sri Lanka in Australia was proof that associate success is no longer about one-off surprises.

“It wasn’t a fluke. It wasn’t just a one-off,” he said, adding that Namibia have also enjoyed a positive record against Ireland and Zimbabwe in recent years.

Namibia ready for India, Pakistan challenge

Namibia’s World Cup group stage will see them take on India and Pakistan, a challenge Erasmus believes should be approached with freedom rather than fear.

“You don’t really have something to lose. You can just go out and enjoy it,” he said.

“You’ve earned that right to play against those best players.”

Erasmus said the World Cup’s two-year cycle has become a vital stepping stone for associate nations, providing competitive opportunities that domestic cricket structures alone cannot offer.

“If the ICC gives us more games like that, that exposure will level the teams,” he said.

“And if exposure levels the teams and the skill sets rise, we’ll have a global game that’s much stronger — and that benefits everyone.”