Cricket Is Seen Largely As A White Man Sport In Nambia: Admits Cricket Namibia President Rudie van Vuuren
Updated - 23 Oct 2021, 03:34 PM
Cricket Namibia President Rudie van Vuuren said that the national cricket team got its reward for the hardwork of three years.
On Friday, Namibia defeated Ireland by eight wickets to book their berth in the Super 12 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
Namibia, being an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), registered its first win against a full ICC member.
Namibia saw the development of cricket through corporatisation, and van Vuuren acknowledged it as one of the reasons for their qualification.
“It has been a reward for three years of hard work; now have to expand our player base,” van Vuuren told Cricbuzz.
“The ICC is using us as a case study for corporate governance,” he added.
The Cricket Namibia president also expressed his wish to involve black players of the country and is hopeful that their qualification to the Super 12 stage will be a catalyst for them in expanding the game in the nation of 2.5 millions people.
“Cricket is seen largely as a white man sport in our black majority nation. We have to attract the black players into the game. Today’s win will help in our efforts,” van Vuuren admits.
Before knocking out Ireland, Namibia won against the Netherlands by six wickets.
The main booster for Namibia’s progress is the inclusion of former South Africa all-rounder David Wiese, who got to play for Namibia because his father was born in that country.
Wiese scored an unbeaten 66 against the Netherlands and carried his all-round performance against Andrew Balbirnie & co, smashing 28 off 14 balls to sail the African nation in the next round of the showpiece event.
Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus played a brilliant knock of 53* that helped the team pave its way for the 126-run chase against Ireland.
Namibia will join India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan and Scotland in Group 2 of the Super 12 stage.
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Namibia National Cricket Team
