Eagles eye T20 World Cup upsets 

The FNB Namibia Eagles received a fitting farewell yesterday ahead of their journey to the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

The squad leaves for the United Arab Emirates today where they will play a few warm-up matches before the start of the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next month. Namibia will compete in Group A against powerhouses India and Pakistan, as well as fellow associate cricketing nations The Netherlands and the United States (US).

It is probably the toughest group at the world cup, but at a farewell function hosted by FNB yesterday coach Craig Williams said they are planning to cause a few upsets.

“As a team, I can guarantee you we feel the responsibility to make this country proud. We’re going to India, not as underdogs, but to compete. I remember the World Cup I played at, we were saying we are going to gain experience, but this is our fourth world cup, so that language doesn’t get used anymore,” he said.

“We’re going there and we’re planning the whole time on how we are going to take down the big countries. There’s a massive target on our backs now after we beat South Africa, and that comes with a huge amount of responsibility,” he added.

“I think the world is watching us very closely, just look at the u19 World Cup, and see what’s going on here. So we are going to wear this eagle badge with pride, and we are also going to represent our sponsors with a lot of pride on the international stage,” he said.

Williams also thanked Cricket Namibia chief executive officer (CEO) Johan Muller for his leadership.

“On the first day I started this job, I sat with Johan and he pulled up a big spreadsheet and my jaw nearly hit the floor. If you look at the operating costs of a small country like ours, I don’t have the exact figures, but its N$60 million plus. I couldn’t believe it, the amount of funds that is needed to run this operation,” he said.

INCREDIBLE MILESTONE – DEMPSEY

FirstRand Namibia CEO Conrad Dempsey congratulated the team on qualifying for the T20 World Cup.

“This is an incredible milestone not just for each of you as players, but for Namibian cricket and for the nation as a whole. Reaching a stage of this magnitude doesn’t happen by chance,” he said. ” It’s the result of long hours, incredible discipline, and the belief that you belong on the world stage.

“As you head onto the world stage, know that you carry more than just your personal ambitions with you. You’re carrying the hopes, pride and brave spirit of Namibia with you. And if past performances are anything to go by, it’s that Namibia’s spirit travels with you wherever you play,” he added.

Dempsey said investing in local talent reaped rewards.

“You continue to remind us, as corporate citizens, why backing our athletes and investing in local talent matters. Your journey proves that when Namibian talent is supported, it doesn’t just compete, it competes confidently, and it competes globally,” he says.

“We are incredibly proud of what you’ve achieved so far, and we have no doubt that you’ll continue to make the country proud in the weeks ahead. Please know that you have our full support, as sponsors, partners and, most importantly, passionate fans who believe in your ability to go all the way,” he added.

National captain Gerhard Erasmus said they are under no illusions about the task at hand.

“We are realistic about the opposition we will be facing, I mean, India and Pakistan are powerhouses of world cricket, so it will certainly be a massive upset if we can beat one of them, while the other two associate nations in our group – the Netherlands and the US – are also two highly ranked teams, probably the two best teams in the associate world at the moment, so we are in the group of death,” he said.

“Even though we are the underdogs, we are going to fight hard, we are going to compete very hard in every single game,” Erasmus said.

“I think if we can start off well against The Netherlands that should put us on a good trend to cause more upsets and to play our best cricket, and if we play our best cricket I think the results will take care ot itself,” he added.

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