Dar es Salaam: Namibia have clinched qualification for the 2024 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, to be held in Sri Lanka, after winning the Africa Qualifiers Sunday.
Namibia were unbeaten through their victorious run in the Africa Qualifier, winning all their games after their first match against Uganda was abandoned due to rain. The bowlers were at the top of their game as they managed to defend low totals, with Namibia’s highest score being only 170 throughout the tournament.
After the washed-out game against Uganda, skipper Alexander Busing-Volschenk top-scored with 39 to help Namibia post a decent total of 139 against Tanzania. The bowlers all chipped in with wickets to skittle Tanzania out for just 33, recording a big 106-run win.
Kenya too suffered a similar fate in the next game as they were bowled out for just 64 after batting first against Namibia. The side then made light work of the chase, winning the game by seven wickets inside 17 overs.
Namibia went on to brush aside Sierra Leone by 83 runs with left-arm pacer Morris Gerhardt Kariata leading the way with a four-wicket haul.
Namibia finished the tournament on a high, defending a target of 149 against Nigeria with Peter-Daniel Blignaut recording a five-wicket haul in their 53-run win.
Namibia became the third team to punch their tickets for the U19 World Cup 2024 through the Qualifier route. Last month, New Zealand went through the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier while Nepal advanced to the competition from Asian Qualifiers in February 2023.
The three teams join 11 others — Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, defending champions India, Ireland, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Zimbabwe — who automatically qualified as the best-placed Full Member nations from the previous edition held in the West Indies in 2022.
Two more spots are still up for grabs for the marquee event next year. The Europe Qualifier will be held between August 6-12 in the Netherlands where the hosts will battle Guernsey, Italy, Jersey, Norway, and Scotland for qualification. The Americas Qualifier will commence August 11 with Argentina, Bermuda, hosts Canada, Suriname, and USA participating in the event.
IANS