"Pressure Is On India": Namibia Star Stuns All With Bold Take Ahead Of Clash Against Defending Champions
Namibia all-rounder Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton believes that pressure will be on defending champions India on their home turf and that his team has nothing to lose in their T20 World Cup 2026 match.
Namibia all-rounder Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton believes that pressure will be on defending champions India on their home turf and that his team has nothing to lose in their T20 World Cup match on Thursday. Minnows Namibia are coming into the match after losing their opening game against the Netherlands here on Tuesday, while India had beaten the USA in Mumbai in their campaign opener. "Playing India in India is massive, pressure is on India to be honest, home crowd advantage, home ground advantage as well. We are going in with nothing to lose to be honest. We are going there to showcase our talents and abilities, hopefully it comes up on that day," Loftie-Eaton told PTI Videos on Wednesday.
"We just gotta back our skills given our day and we have done our homework, lot of tactical talks going around. We just have to back our skills on the given day. T20 is a funny game anything can happen." The 24-year-old batting all-rounder, who has played 51 ODIs and 52 T20Is, said cricket is growing massively in his country.
"It's becoming people's massive choice. We had a game against South Africa at our newly inaugurated ground where 5000 people came to watch and it was the first time.
"It is definitely growing in the right direction. So we just have to carry that momentum forward and keep on going the game and become one of the biggest associate countries in the nation." He said Namibia's next target is to become a Test playing nation.
"We have to set higher goals and highest standards. Definitely the South Africa win has put us on the map, but we have been on the map in the last few years, we have had some pretty good consistent World Cup last few years," he said.
In October 2025, Namibia had beaten a patchwork South Africa side by four wickets in a T20I in Windhoek, and Loftie-Eaton was a part of that team.
"It is just about carrying it forward and getting better everyday and every year and that is something we looking to achieve, becoming a Test playing nation and it is any players dream to put on the whites for your country."
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