THE Richelieu Namibian Eagles take on Nepal in Kirtipur today as their Cricket World Cup Division 2 One Day International (ODI) series winds down with their final matches over the next 12 days.
Namibia take on Nepal and Scotland twice each in a tri-series in Kirtipir, before completing their series with two matches against UAE in Dubai.
With six matches remaining in the competition, Namibia are currently well-placed in third position on the log and still on track to gain qualification for the 2023 World Cup in India in October and November this year.
The top three nations in the series, which already started in August 2019,
will automatically progress to the final world cup qualifier in Zimbabwe in July, where the top two nations will go through to join eight other nations at the 2023 World Cup in India.
Scotland lead the log on 46 points followed by Oman on 44 and Namibia on 37, but UAE on 27 and Nepal on 18 points, still have an outside chance of making the top three.
The Nepal series, however, has been overshadowed by the inclusion of Sandeep Lamichhane in the Nepalese team, with the star spinner under police investigation for allegedly raping a minor on 21 August last year. He posted bail on 13 January.
Protestors have taken to social media to air their disapproval, while calls were also made to boycott the series.
Cricinfo reported that both Canada and Namibia had issued statements 'that hinted at - but stopped well short of expressing - unease over the selection.'
It quoted Cricket Namibia's board as saying that it "strongly opposes all forms of gender-based violence, discrimination and abuse," a position that Cricket Namibia CEO Johan Muller reiterated yesterday.
"Yes, that is our official position," he stated.
Cricinfo quoted Cricket Scotland as saying that it 'stands firmly against all forms of abuse, which have no place in modern society. The player's availability for these games is a matter for the Cricket Association of Nepal and the ICC to consider.'
Cricket Namibia meanwhile recently announced a 14-man squad for the tour which sees captain Gerhard Erasmus joining the team from Dubai after a great spell in the inaugural UAE T20 International series.
Erasmus and compatriot David Wiese were stalwarts of the Gulf Giants side that went on to win the inaugural series after beating the Desert Vipers by seven wickets in Sunday's final.
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The Giants restricted the Vipers to 146/8 and then scored 149/3, with Erasmus making a valuable contribution of 30 runs from 33 balls.
Erasmus also made some other telling contributions with both the bat and in the field, with a top score of 52 from 28 balls, while Wiese was a regular wicket taker.
Star all-rounder JJ Smit is still unavailable due to a knee injury, but Jan Frylinck has recovered from injury and is back in the squad, which shows one new cap in CCD opening batter Joshuan Julius, is as follows:
Gerhard Erasmus (captain), Lohan Louwrens, Michael van Lingen, Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Jan Frylinck, Zane Green, Karl Birkenstock, Helao Ya France, Tangeni Lungameni, Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz, Ben Shikongo, Shaun Fouche and Josuan Julius.
At an informal send off in Windhoek last week, Beverley Jandrell of the sponsors, Distill Namibia said they were fully behind the team.
"On behalf of Richelieu, a brand that is about creating momentous moments, Cricket Namibia has over-delivered in momentous moments and we believe that the team will deliver in Nepal. To the whole team, the coaches, the board members, and the Cricket Namibia team, a huge congratulations for making it this far and we look forward to celebrating when the team is back," she said.
