Capricorn Eagles take on Emerging Nations in Thailand
Cricket
The Namibia women's cricket team, the Capricorn Eagles, departed to Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday for the inauguration of the 2025 ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy.
The T20 International tournament (18 November to 1 December 2025) is designed to accelerate the growth of women’s cricket among emerging Associate Member nations.
The 2025 edition will feature eight Associate Member teams, bringing together the top-performing women’s sides outside the ICC’s Full Member tier.
The participating nations include (current world ranking in brackets):
• Five teams with Women’s ODI status: Netherlands (15th), Papua New Guinea (13th), Scotland (12th), Thailand (11th) and United Arab Emirates (16th).
• Three top-ranked Associate T20I teams: Namibia (17th), Tanzania (18th) and Uganda (19th).
The Capricorn Eagles team, emerging from a successful T20I qualification tournament hosted at home in Windhoek during September, is looking forward to even more competitive cricket.
Namibia, Scotland, Netherlands and Thailand will all be among the final ten worldwide contenders in Nepal in January-February 2026, striving to book the top-four spots to progress to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (12 June to 5 July in England and Wales).
Platform
The ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy represents an exciting step forward for women’s cricket development.
The tournament offers a platform for Associate nations to compete consistently at a high level, helping to bridge the gap towards major tournaments such as the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
The tournament is also designed to provide a pathway for players and teams seeking to make their mark on the international stage.
For participating teams, the event presents an invaluable opportunity to build competitive depth, foster talent, and showcase their emerging stars.
The Capricorn Eagles, under head coach Francois van der Merwe, are looking forward to showcasing a good brand of cricket against formidable opponents on the global stage.
At their send-off, Cricket Namibia CEO Johan Muller said: “Cricket Namibia is truly grateful for Capricorn's support, which is essential in helping us reach higher heights. As official partners of our women's team, they have allowed us to prioritize and develop the women's game.”
Capricorn Group remains a steadfast supporter of Namibian women’s cricket, reinforcing its commitment to developing the sport.
Mariantha Fryer, Capricorn Group Brand Manager, remarked: "We are immensely proud of the Capricorn Eagles' remarkable progress under Cricket Namibia's guidance.
“We are committed to our community, believing that today's investments will benefit Namibian girls and women in the years to come. Alongside Capricorn Asset Management and Capricorn Private Wealth, we support this team, recognising the power of sport to create positive change for women and girls in Namibia.”
Capricorn Group remains committed to being Connectors of Positive Change, empowering communities and driving the development of women’s sport in Namibia.
Broadcast and streaming information will be shared in due course, allowing Namibian fans to follow the Capricorn Eagles live as they represent the nation with pride.
The squad: Sunè Wittmann (captain), Naomi Benjamin, Arrasta Diergaardt, Victoria Hamunyela, Mezerly !Gorases (wicketkeeper), Kayleen Green, Eveleen Kejaruka, Yasmeen Khan, Bianca Manuel, Mekelaye Mwatile, Wilka Mwatile, Sylvia Shihepo, Edelle van Zyl, Leigh-Marie Visser.
Namibia’s opening match is on 20 November against Tanzania.
The T20 International tournament (18 November to 1 December 2025) is designed to accelerate the growth of women’s cricket among emerging Associate Member nations.
The 2025 edition will feature eight Associate Member teams, bringing together the top-performing women’s sides outside the ICC’s Full Member tier.
The participating nations include (current world ranking in brackets):
• Five teams with Women’s ODI status: Netherlands (15th), Papua New Guinea (13th), Scotland (12th), Thailand (11th) and United Arab Emirates (16th).
• Three top-ranked Associate T20I teams: Namibia (17th), Tanzania (18th) and Uganda (19th).
The Capricorn Eagles team, emerging from a successful T20I qualification tournament hosted at home in Windhoek during September, is looking forward to even more competitive cricket.
Namibia, Scotland, Netherlands and Thailand will all be among the final ten worldwide contenders in Nepal in January-February 2026, striving to book the top-four spots to progress to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (12 June to 5 July in England and Wales).
Platform
The ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy represents an exciting step forward for women’s cricket development.
The tournament offers a platform for Associate nations to compete consistently at a high level, helping to bridge the gap towards major tournaments such as the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
The tournament is also designed to provide a pathway for players and teams seeking to make their mark on the international stage.
For participating teams, the event presents an invaluable opportunity to build competitive depth, foster talent, and showcase their emerging stars.
The Capricorn Eagles, under head coach Francois van der Merwe, are looking forward to showcasing a good brand of cricket against formidable opponents on the global stage.
At their send-off, Cricket Namibia CEO Johan Muller said: “Cricket Namibia is truly grateful for Capricorn's support, which is essential in helping us reach higher heights. As official partners of our women's team, they have allowed us to prioritize and develop the women's game.”
Capricorn Group remains a steadfast supporter of Namibian women’s cricket, reinforcing its commitment to developing the sport.
Mariantha Fryer, Capricorn Group Brand Manager, remarked: "We are immensely proud of the Capricorn Eagles' remarkable progress under Cricket Namibia's guidance.
“We are committed to our community, believing that today's investments will benefit Namibian girls and women in the years to come. Alongside Capricorn Asset Management and Capricorn Private Wealth, we support this team, recognising the power of sport to create positive change for women and girls in Namibia.”
Capricorn Group remains committed to being Connectors of Positive Change, empowering communities and driving the development of women’s sport in Namibia.
Broadcast and streaming information will be shared in due course, allowing Namibian fans to follow the Capricorn Eagles live as they represent the nation with pride.
The squad: Sunè Wittmann (captain), Naomi Benjamin, Arrasta Diergaardt, Victoria Hamunyela, Mezerly !Gorases (wicketkeeper), Kayleen Green, Eveleen Kejaruka, Yasmeen Khan, Bianca Manuel, Mekelaye Mwatile, Wilka Mwatile, Sylvia Shihepo, Edelle van Zyl, Leigh-Marie Visser.
Namibia’s opening match is on 20 November against Tanzania.
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