(AP Photo)

Namibia’s captain, Gerhard Erasmus, has extended an invitation to Team India for a bilateral series in his country. The Indian team is scheduled to tour South Africa for a T20I series starting from November 8 this year. The series will consist of four matches to be played in Gqeberha, Centurion, and Johannesburg, concluding on November 15. Cricket South Africa announced the schedule and other details of the series on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are pleased to confirm the arrangement of another exciting KFC T20 International (T20I) series, with India set to tour South Africa in November 2024.”

Following the announcement, Gerhard Erasmus extended a request to the Indian cricket board for a tour of Namibia. “Hey BCCI, warm-up in Windhoek?” Erasmus posted on X, sharing Cricket South Africa’s announcement. Previously, India played two T20Is against Namibia and secured victories in both encounters.

Namibia has participated in three T20 World Cups, including the current tournament. They advanced to the Super 12s in their debut campaign in 2021 but failed to progress past the group stage in subsequent editions.

Gerhard Erasmus’ proposal to host India has garnered widespread support from fans who believe it will enhance Namibia’s visibility and prestige in international cricket. India is scheduled to visit Zimbabwe for a five-match T20I series after the conclusion of the ongoing World Cup. The BCCI is expected to field a young squad, opting to rest senior players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah.

Namibia secured their sole victory in this T20 World Cup during the tournament’s opening match, defeating Oman by 11 runs in a Super Over encounter. However, they faced defeats in their subsequent three group-stage matches against Scotland, Australia, and England.

Meanwhile, India is gearing up to face Bangladesh in their second Super Eight match on June 22nd.