The FNB Eagles have officially booked their place at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after a commanding semi-final victory against Tanzania at the Africa Regional Final.
Despite an early stumble at 41/4 inside five overs, the Eagles showed resilience through a crucial 88-run partnership between skipper Gerhard Erasmus and JJ Smit. Erasmus anchored the innings with a composed 55 from 41 balls, while Smit entertained the crowd with four towering sixes on his way to an unbeaten 61 from 43 deliveries.
Smit’s heroics did not end with the bat. With the ball in hand, he dismantled Tanzania’s top order, claiming 3/16 in his four overs to secure Namibia’s 63-run win and their ticket to the global stage.
This achievement marks Namibia’s fourth consecutive T20 World Cup qualification, a testament to the team’s consistency and growth on the world stage. The Eagles will now prepare to showcase their talent in India and Sri Lanka in 2026, aiming to replicate and build on their famous Super 12 finish in 2021.
Joining Namibia at the T20 World Cup will be Zimbabwe, who secured the other African qualification spot.
With Africa’s qualifiers confirmed, the spotlight now shifts to the Asia–EAP pathway, where three spots remain up for grabs.
