Cricket Namibia has made history by becoming the first sports governing body in the country to offer professional contracts to both its men’s and women’s national cricket teams. This groundbreaking move marks a significant milestone for women’s sports in Namibia.
The contracts, negotiated and signed in February, were officially announced on Tuesday. Cricket Namibia chief executive Johan Muller expressed his excitement, stating, “For the first time, we have been able to professionalize the women’s game. This is a significant moment for sports in the country. It’s the first time ladies have been signed on contracts where cricket is their occupation.”
The contracts provide financial support to ten talented women cricketers, enabling them to pursue their passion while supporting their households. The value of the contracts and other details remain confidential.
The contracted players include Kayleen Green, Sune Wittmann, Arrasta Diergaardt, Edelle van Zyl, Bianca Manuel, Irene van Zyl, Wilka Mwatile, Mekelaye Mwatile, Naomi Benjamin, and Saima Tuhadeleni.
The Namibia women’s team, known as the “Capricorn Eagles,” currently holds the 17th position in the ICC Women’s T20I team rankings, their highest ranking to date. Despite a recent setback at the African Games, where they won only one group-stage game, the team has made significant progress since receiving T20I status in 2018.
In their 72 international matches, Namibia has emerged victorious in 44. In 2019, they represented Africa in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier but narrowly missed out on advancing to the main event in 2020.
Cricket Namibia’s commitment to professionalizing women’s cricket is a testament to the growing recognition of women’s sports in the country. The contracts will not only provide financial stability to the players but also inspire young girls to pursue their dreams in cricket.
