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Namibia has announced 17-year-old Faf du Plessis as the captain of their U-19 cricket team for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers. Sharing his name with the renowned South African cricketer currently playing for Delhi Capitals in the IPL, the young player is also a right-handed batter and a leg-break bowler.
With three previous appearances for the Namibia U-19 team, du Plessis is set to lead his side in the crucial Division 1 Qualifiers.
Namibia will compete against Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda for a coveted spot in the 2026 U-19 World Cup. Their campaign will begin with a match against Nigeria on March 28 in Lagos, Nigeria, where the qualifiers will be hosted.
Road to the U-19 World Cup 2026
The World Cup Qualifier matches will be played at the University of Lagos Cricket Oval. Namibia’s journey kicks off with a match against Nigeria, followed by an encounter with Sierra Leone. Only one team from this group will advance to the U-19 World Cup, making these matches highly competitive.
The 2026 U-19 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia. While Zimbabwe has already secured direct qualification as a host nation, Namibia must go through the qualification process. If they succeed, they will have the honor of competing on home soil, making their qualification bid even more significant.
Australia: The Defending Champions
As teams fight for a place in the 2026 tournament, Australia enters as the defending champions, having won the 2024 U-19 World Cup in South Africa. In a thrilling semi-final, Australia narrowly edged past Pakistan by one wicket, while India overcame the host nation, South Africa, by two wickets to reach the final.
In the championship match, Australia set a target of 253-7 in 50 overs, with Harjas Singh contributing a crucial 55 off 64 balls. India’s chase faltered, as they were bowled out for 174 runs, despite Adarsh Singh’s top score of 47. Australia claimed victory by 79 runs, securing their title as the reigning U-19 champions.
Namibia now looks forward to the upcoming qualifiers, aiming to earn their place in the prestigious tournament and represent Africa on the global stage.
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