Namibia defeats Canada to complete T20 cricket sweep of Canadian men

Namibia's Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton bats against Sri Lanka during their T20 World Cup Cricket match in Geelong, Australia, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

WINDHOEK — Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton scored 65 runs and Nikolaas Davin added 52 as Namibia defeated Canada by eight wickets in a T20 cricket game Sunday.

Their 104-run second-wicket partnership was a Namibia record, breaking the previous mark of 103 between captain Gerhard Erasmus and Davin.

Namibia won the five-match series 3-0 with two games were abandoned without a ball bowled due to rain.

Namibia is ranked 15th in the world in T20 play by the International Cricket Council (ICC) while Canada is No. 21.

On Saturday, Namibia cruised to a 10-wicket win. The Africans won by three wickets Wednesday when the teams played a weather-shortened game.

Namibia won the toss Sunday and sent Canada in to bat.

Captain Nicholas Kirton led the way with an innings of 37 as the Canadians finished at 142 for seven in their 20 innings. Batting No. 4, Kirton hit four fours in his 26-ball knock.

Navneet Dhaliwal scored 21 runs and fellow opener Dilpreet Bajwa added 20.

Namibia reached the victory target with two balls left in the 16th over, finishing at 143 for two. Darvin was not out with three fours and one six in his 41-ball knock.

Weather was also a factor in the recent ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series hosted by Namibia. Canada’s two games against the 14th-ranked Netherlands on March 5 and 11 were both called off due to inclement weather.

Canada and Namibia split their two World League 2 meetings.

Canada sits third in the eight-team World League table at 9-5 with two no-results.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2025