Namibia Beat Canada by 24 Runs in ICC CWC League 2 Thriller.

Namibia Beat Canada by 24 Runs in ICC CWC League 2 Thriller.

Namibia vs Canada, 83rd Match Highlights: Namibia Win by 24 Runs in ICC CWC League 2.

Date: September 2, 2025
Venue: Maple Leaf North-West Ground, King City, Canada
Result: Namibia won by 24 runs
Player of the Match: Bernard Scholtz (4/35)
Source: Cricbuzz, Outlook India, ESPN.in

Match Overview

                    Namibia secured a hard-fought 24-run victory over Canada in the 83rd match of the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 (2023-27) at the Maple Leaf North-West Ground in King City on September 2, 2025.

            Batting first after losing the toss, Namibia posted a competitive 261/8 in 50 overs, powered by a sensational 112 off 108 balls from Gerhard Erasmus and a vital 62 off 71 from Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton. Canada, in response, put up a spirited chase, led by Nicholas Kirton’s gritty 73 off 80 balls and Pargat Singh’s 52 off 65, but fell short at 237 all out in 48.3 overs. Namibia’s bowlers, spearheaded by Bernard Scholtz’s four-wicket haul (4/35), held their nerve in the death overs, with JJ Smit’s crucial double strike sealing the game. This win bolstered Namibia’s position in the points table, while Canada’s seventh consecutive loss kept them in fifth place with a net run rate of -0.195.

Toss and Team Line-ups

Canada captain Nicholas Kirton won the toss and elected to bowl first, aiming to exploit early moisture on the King City pitch under overcast conditions. The teams lined up as follows:

Namibia Playing XI: Willem Myburgh, JP Kotze, Jan Frylinck, Gerhard Erasmus (c), Dylan Leicher, JJ Smit, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Zane Green (wk), Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz, Tangeni Lungameni
Canada Playing XI: Ali Nadeem, Yuvraj Samra, Pargat Singh, Dilpreet Bajwa, Shreyas Movva (wk), Nicholas Kirton (c), Jaskaran Singh, Saad Bin Zafar, Akhil Kumar, Shahid Ahmadzai, Kaleem Sana
Namibia’s Innings: Erasmus’ Masterclass

Namibia’s innings was anchored by a commanding century from captain Gerhard Erasmus, whose 112 off 108 balls included 10 fours and 3 sixes. Despite early setbacks and a late wobble, contributions from Loftie-Eaton (62 off 71) and JJ Smit (29 off 34) ensured a competitive total of 261/8.

Key Moments in Namibia’s Innings

Powerplay (Overs 1-10): Namibia started cautiously, reaching 45/2. Kaleem Sana struck early, dismissing Willem Myburgh (8) in the third over, caught by Shreyas Movva. JP Kotze (12) fell to Saad Bin Zafar, leaving Namibia at 28/2 in 7.2 overs. Erasmus and Jan Frylinck steadied the innings with a 37-run stand.

Middle Overs (Overs 11-30): Erasmus took charge, reaching his fifty in 55 balls with a lofted cover drive off Shahid Ahmadzai. Frylinck’s 28 off 42 provided support before he was bowled by Akhil Kumar in the 19th over (82/3). Loftie-Eaton joined Erasmus, and their 104-run fourth-wicket partnership was the cornerstone of the innings. Loftie-Eaton’s aggressive 62, featuring 5 fours and 2 sixes, included a stunning lofted cover drive off Zafar. Erasmus reached his century in 98 balls, smashing a six over long-on off Jaskaran Singh.

Death Overs (Overs 31-50): Namibia lost momentum after Loftie-Eaton’s dismissal (186/4 in 36.3 overs), caught by Kirton off Ahmadzai. Erasmus fell in the 42nd over (223/5), bowled by Sana attempting a scoop shot. JJ Smit’s 29 off 34, including a six off Kumar, pushed Namibia past 250, but late wickets from Sana (3/48) and Kumar (2/55) restricted them to 261/8. Zane Green’s quickfire 14 off 8 added crucial runs.

Bowling Highlights:

Kaleem Sana (3/48): The pacer was Canada’s standout, removing Myburgh, Erasmus, and Dylan Leicher with disciplined bowling.

Akhil Kumar (2/55): Kumar dismissed Frylinck and Smit, but was expensive in the death overs.

Saad Bin Zafar (1/42): The captain struck early but struggled to contain Erasmus and Loftie-Eaton.

Namibia’s total was competitive, though they lost 5 wickets for 38 runs in the final 10 overs, leaving the door slightly ajar for Canada.

Canada’s Chase: Kirton’s Fight in Vain

Chasing 262, Canada started strongly, with Pargat Singh and Dilpreet Bajwa forging an 85-run second-wicket stand. However, Bernard Scholtz’s spin masterclass and JJ Smit’s late strikes triggered a collapse, leaving Canada 24 runs short at 237 all out in 48.3 overs.

Key Moments in Canada’s Innings

Powerplay (Overs 1-10): Canada reached 54/1, losing Ali Nadeem (6) to Ruben Trumpelmann in the fourth over, caught by Zane Green. Pargat Singh (52 off 65, 6 fours) and Dilpreet Bajwa (38 off 47) played fluently, with Pargat smashing three boundaries off Tangeni Lungameni’s second over.


Middle Overs (Overs 11-30): The 85-run stand ended when Bajwa was stumped off Scholtz in the 16th over (89/2). Shreyas Movva (18) fell to Scholtz in the 21st over, caught by Loftie-Eaton at slip (112/3). Nicholas Kirton took charge, reaching his fifty in 52 balls with a six off Dylan Leicher. His 73 off 80, including 7 fours and 2 sixes, kept Canada in the hunt. Jaskaran Singh’s 35 off 40 supported Kirton in a 64-run fifth-wicket stand, taking Canada to 176/4 by the 35th over.

Death Overs (Overs 31-48.3): The chase unraveled as Scholtz struck twice in the 37th over, dismissing Jaskaran (caught by Erasmus) and Saad Bin Zafar (LBW for 0), leaving Canada at 180/6. Kirton fell in the 41st over to Jan Frylinck, caught at long-off (203/7). JJ Smit’s double blow in the 47th and 48th overs—removing Akhil Kumar (15, caught by Erasmus) and Kaleem Sana (4, caught by Loftie-Eaton)—sealed Canada’s fate. Shivam Sharma’s 6 off 7 was too little, too late.

Bowling Highlights:

Bernard Scholtz (4/35): The left-arm spinner was the wrecker-in-chief, dismissing Bajwa, Movva, Jaskaran, and Zafar with tight lines and sharp turn.

JJ Smit (2/38): Smit’s late strikes, including Kumar and Sana, clinched the victory.

Ruben Trumpelmann (1/45): The pacer struck early but was expensive in the middle overs.

Canada’s collapse of 7 wickets for 61 runs in the final 13 overs highlighted their struggle against Namibia’s spinners, particularly Scholtz, who bowled 10 overs with an economy of 3.50.

Scorecard Summary
Namibia Innings

Total: 261/8 (50 overs)

Top Scorers: Gerhard Erasmus (112 off 108, 10 fours, 3 sixes), Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (62 off 71, 5 fours, 2 sixes), JJ Smit (29 off 34, 1 six)

Fall of Wickets: 1-12 (Myburgh, 2.4), 2-28 (Kotze, 7.2), 3-82 (Frylinck, 18.6), 4-186 (Loftie-Eaton, 36.3), 5-223 (Erasmus, 41.2), 6-227 (Leicher, 43.1), 7-236 (Green, 46.5), 8-250 (Smit, 48.3)

Bowling: Kaleem Sana 3/48 (10 overs), Akhil Kumar 2/55 (9 overs), Saad Bin Zafar 1/42 (10 overs), Shahid Ahmadzai 1/50 (10 overs)

Canada Innings

Total: 237 all out (48.3 overs)

Top Scorers: Nicholas Kirton (73 off 80, 7 fours, 2 sixes), Pargat Singh (52 off 65, 6 fours), Dilpreet Bajwa (38 off 47)

Fall of Wickets: 1-15 (Nadeem, 3.5), 2-89 (Bajwa, 15.6), 3-112 (Movva, 20.3), 4-176 (Jaskaran, 36.2), 5-180 (Zafar, 36.5), 6-203 (Kirton, 40.4), 7-211 (Yuvraj, 42.1), 8-227 (Kumar, 46.4), 9-235 (Ahmadzai, 47.5), 10-237 (Sana, 48.3)

Bowling: Bernard Scholtz 4/35 (10 overs), JJ Smit 2/38 (9 overs), Jan Frylinck 1/40 (8 overs), Ruben Trumpelmann 1/45 (10 overs)

Ball-by-Ball Commentary Highlights
Namibia Innings

2.4 Overs: Sana removes Myburgh (8), caught by Movva. Namibia 12/1.

7.2 Overs: Zafar traps Kotze (12) LBW. Namibia 28/2.

18.6 Overs: Kumar dismisses Frylinck (28), bowled. Namibia 82/3.

30.2 Overs: Erasmus reaches fifty with a lofted drive off Ahmadzai. Namibia 135/3.

36.3 Overs: Loftie-Eaton (62) caught by Kirton off Ahmadzai. Namibia 186/4.

41.2 Overs: Sana bowls Erasmus (112) attempting a scoop. Namibia 223/5.

48.3 Overs: Kumar removes Smit (29), caught at long-off. Namibia 250/8.

50.0 Overs: Namibia finish at 261/8, with Lungameni (2*) and Scholtz (1*) unbeaten.
Canada Innings

3.5 Overs: Trumpelmann dismisses Nadeem (6), caught by Green. Canada 15/1.

15.6 Overs: Scholtz stumps Bajwa (38) with a sharp turner. Canada 89/2.

20.3 Overs: Scholtz removes Movva (18), caught by Loftie-Eaton. Canada 112/3.

36.2 Overs: Scholtz traps Jaskaran (35), caught by Erasmus. Canada 176/4.

36.5 Overs: Scholtz dismisses Zafar (0) LBW. Canada 180/5.

40.4 Overs: Frylinck removes Kirton (73), caught at long-off. Canada 203/6.

46.4 Overs: Smit dismisses Kumar (15), caught by Erasmus. Canada 227/8.

48.3 Overs: Smit seals the win, dismissing Sana (4), caught by Loftie-Eaton. Canada 237/10.

Post-Match Reactions
Gerhard Erasmus (Namibia Captain)

Erasmus credited his team’s resilience: “It was a tough game, but we showed character. My job was to anchor and build partnerships, and Nicol [Loftie-Eaton] played brilliantly. Bernard [Scholtz] was outstanding with the ball, and JJ [Smit] finished it off. We knew Canada would fight, but we stayed calm.”

Nicholas Kirton (Canada Captain)

Kirton reflected on the loss: “We got off to a good start with the ball, but Erasmus took the game away. Our batting showed fight, but we lost momentum against their spinners. We need to regroup and come back stronger against Scotland.”

Bernard Scholtz (Player of the Match)

Scholtz highlighted the pitch’s assistance: “The wicket offered some turn, and I just focused on keeping it tight. The middle overs were crucial, and getting those quick wickets swung the game our way. It’s a team effort, and we’re happy to get the points.”

Analysis: Namibia’s Depth, Canada’s Collapse

Namibia’s victory showcased their growing maturity in the ICC CWC League 2, with Erasmus leading from the front. His century, combined with Loftie-Eaton’s fluency, exposed Canada’s inability to sustain pressure with the ball. Scholtz’s spin bowling exploited the middle overs, where Canada lost 4 wickets for 22 runs between overs 36-41, a phase that decided the match. Namibia’s fielding, particularly Loftie-Eaton’s slip catch and Erasmus’ diving effort, was exemplary.

Canada’s chase was promising until the 36th over, with Kirton and Pargat laying a solid foundation. However, their recurring struggle against spin—evident in earlier losses to Scotland and Namibia—proved costly. The lack of a finisher in the lower order and poor shot selection in the death overs underscored their need for better game management. Despite Sana’s disciplined bowling, Canada’s attack lacked variety, allowing Namibia to recover from 82/3 to post a defendable total.

Points Table Update

Namibia: Moved to 18 points with 9 wins, 13 losses, and 1 no-result, improving their net run rate to -0.412.

Canada: Remained fifth with 20 points from 9 wins, 12 losses, and 2 no-results, with a net run rate of -0.195.

Looking Ahead

Namibia’s victory keeps them in contention for a top-four finish, crucial for qualification to the 2027 Cricket World Cup Qualifier. Canada, reeling from seven straight losses, face Scotland next on September 4, 2025, in a must-win game to revive their campaign. The Canada Tri-Nation Series continues to deliver thrilling contests, with Scotland leading the current leg.