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Namibia coach Pierre de Bruyn said facing teams like India, Pakistan and New Zealand in the ongoing T20 World Cup will be a great experience for Namibia players.
Gerhard Erasmus' captain's knock of 53 not out from 49 balls plus David Wiese's explosive 28 from just 14 helped Namibia chase down Ireland's 125 for 8 to ensure they finished second in Group A. Namibia made history by qualifying for the T20 World Cup 2021 Super 12 stage in their very first appearance at the tournament after beating Ireland. Namibia will meet India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan and Scotland in the Super 12 stage. "Facing India, Pakistan and New Zealand, those types of teams, is going to be a great experience for these players but we want to be competitive in whatever we do, with ball, bat and in the field," said De Bruyn, after a win as per ICC. The Namibia coach also warned cricket's big boys that his team will not lie down in the Super 12 stage after a historic eight-wicket victory over Ireland saw them progress. "We are ecstatic, I've got to remind myself what just happened out there, but it has happened to a really good group of people," said De Bruyn. "It's time for us to reflect and also enjoy this moment, but we certainly didn't come here to go and lie down now. "The way we present ourselves, we are going to compete, and we are looking forward to that. We've made history now, advancing to the Super 12s, it's the first time ever we are going to play against these guys in a T20 World Cup" he added. When Wiese struck the winning boundary at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE it sparked wild scenes of celebration among the players and fans at the ground and De Bruyn admitted the party would go on long into the night back home. "I can just imagine what is going on in Namibia right now, it is a Friday afternoon there so they will be ecstatic. It will be a late night for the supporters back home," said De Bruyn. "We are not an organisation with the luxury of a lot of resources around us. I've got 18 players to pick from in my national squad and I know what they've put in for the last three years. "It sounds like a cliche that the hard work has paid off, but it certainly did and I'm really ecstatic for the players," he signed off. (ANI)
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