Colombo, February 18 – Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus expressed pride in his team’s early bowling performance while acknowledging key areas for improvement following their defeat to Pakistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Group A match at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Wednesday.
Reflecting on Namibia’s strong start with the ball, the captain praised the intent and energy shown by his young bowling unit. “It was quite pleasing to see a young player like Jack Brassell running in, supported by Smit, and that Trumpelmann really injecting energy into that initial impact we were trying to create,” Erasmus said during the post-match presentation.
Despite the encouraging opening burst, the Namibia captain admitted that his side couldn't fully capitalize during key moments, saying, “Unfortunately, we couldn't get the breakthrough. On several occasions, we really put pressure on them in that middle period and slowed the game down.”
Pakistan’s experienced spin attack proved to be a decisive factor in controlling Namibia’s chase, and Erasmus acknowledged the quality and rarity of such skill at the highest level. “It’s a special skill to have, to turn the ball both ways as they do,” he said, emphasizing the technical challenge posed by Pakistan’s spinners.
He added that adapting to such high-quality spin bowling would be an important focus area for Namibia moving forward. “I think that’s one of the things we’ll definitely take home and look to improve on, is facing that type of bowling and making good plans around it, and developing that skill level to combat it.”
Looking at the broader picture, Erasmus highlighted the importance of strengthening key roles within the team, particularly at the top of the order. “I think for us, it’s always about nailing those specialist positions,” he said, reflecting on Namibia’s campaign across multiple World Cup editions.
He pointed to the openers’ performances as a major positive takeaway from the tournament, stating, “I think for these four editions of the World Cup, it's largely been like that – the top and bottom. So, the openers in this tournament have definitely been a great takeaway, and how they’ve batted in this tournament.”
With Namibia continuing to grow as a competitive force in international cricket, Erasmus also spoke optimistically about the future and upcoming opportunities, including the next 50-over World Cup cycle in Africa.
“Yeah, there’s a lot of cricket happening, and there are a lot of exciting things happening in and around cricket in Namibia, which gives the boys a lot to play for,” he said, underlining the positive momentum surrounding the team.
He concluded by emphasizing the long-term significance of these developments. “And for the future of cricket in the country, it’s definitely a lot to play for.”
