Namibia names Faf du Plessis as captain for upcoming World Cup Qualifier

Faf du Plessis has been appointed as the captain of Namibia’s Under-19 team for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. For many readers, this may come as a surprise – how can a veteran South African player is set to go back in time to play Under-19 cricket, especially for Namibia? However, it is important to note that this Faf du Plessis is different from the one most fans are familiar with. We are not talking about the former Proteas and RCB captain, who is now set to play for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025. What makes this even more interesting is that the Faf du Plessis here is also a right-handed batter and leg-break bowler.

Namibia U-19 squad for Under-19 World Cup qualifiers

Faf du Plessis (captain), Adrian Koetzee, Ben Brassel, Dan Brassel, Eric Lintvelt, Henry Grant, Janko Engelbrecht, Junian Tanayanda, Liam Beson, Luka Mikelo, Max Hengo, Rovan van Wuren, Tian van der Merwe, and Waldo Smith.

Fight for a place in the 2026 U-19 World Cup!

Clearly, it’s a big opportunity for Faf du Plessis and his team to showcase their skills in this crucial World Cup qualifier, which is set to take place in Lagos, Nigeria. Faf du Plessis will lead the team in Division 1 qualifiers against teams like Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda. In their second match, Namibia will face Sierra Leone at the University of Lagos Cricket Oval. The winner of this round will represent the African subcontinent in the 2026 U-19 World Cup.

The 2026 U-19 World Cup will be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia. If Namibia qualifies by winning the Africa group, they will have the opportunity to compete as co-hosts, whereas Zimbabwe has already qualified directly as a host nation.