Namibia vs Netherlands Cricket: Complete Timeline, Head-to-Head, and Stats (2013–2026)

Netherlands lead the Namibia vs Netherlands head-to-head record 8–2 in completed matches across all formats. Their rivalry spans more than a decade-T20 World Cups, ICC qualifiers, ODI League 2 campaigns, and neutral-venue series. Every result in this fixture has shaped World Cup paths, tournament standings, and the direction of both associate cricket programs. This article covers the complete match-by-match timeline of the Namibia national cricket team vs Netherlands national cricket team-from their first meeting in 2013 through the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Timeline at a Glance

The Namibia national cricket team vs Netherlands national cricket team timeline begins in 2013 at Windhoek and extends to a marquee T20 World Cup clash in Delhi in 2026. Every match in this rivalry has had qualification consequences or tournament implications.

Year	Event	Venue	Winner
2013	T20 Quadrangular	Windhoek	Namibia (45 runs)
2015	T20 World Cup Qualifier	Dublin	Netherlands (2 wickets)
2019	T20 World Cup Qualifier	Dubai	Netherlands (44 runs)
2021	ICC T20 World Cup	Abu Dhabi	Namibia (6 wickets)
2022	ICC T20 World Cup	Geelong	Netherlands (5 wickets)
Feb 2024	T20 Nepal Tri-Series	Kirtipur	No Result
Feb 2024	T20 Nepal Tri-Series	Kirtipur	Netherlands (59 runs)
Feb 2024	ICC WCL2 ODI	Kirtipur	Netherlands (7 wickets)
Feb 2024	ICC WCL2 ODI	Kirtipur	Namibia (24 runs, D/L)
Mar 2025	ICC WCL2 ODI	Windhoek	Netherlands (53 runs)
Mar 2025	ICC WCL2 ODI	Windhoek	Netherlands (7 wickets)
Feb 2026	ICC T20 World Cup	Delhi	Netherlands (7 wickets)

Complete Head-to-Head Record

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Netherlands dominate the overall head-to-head across every format. Their 8–2 lead reflects consistent performance in both World Cup settings and ICC qualification cricket.

Overall Format Breakdown

Format	Matches	Netherlands Won	Namibia Won	No Result
T20I	7	5	1	1
ODI	4	3	1	0
Total	11	8	2	1

Key Head-to-Head Facts

• Netherlands have won 8 of 10 completed matches across all formats
• Namibia’s two wins came in Windhoek 2013 (home conditions) and Abu Dhabi 2021 (T20 World Cup)
• Netherlands have never lost a bilateral ODI series against Namibia
• Netherlands won in Windhoek twice in March 2025-previously considered a difficult venue for touring sides

Last Five Meetings

Recent form is decisively in Netherlands’ favour. Four wins from the last five meetings-including three consecutive ODI wins-tell the story of a Dutch side that has learned how to beat Namibia in every condition.

Date	Tournament	Venue	Winner	Margin
Feb 10, 2026	T20 World Cup	Delhi	Netherlands	7 wickets
Mar 13, 2025	ICC WCL2 ODI	Windhoek	Netherlands	7 wickets
Mar 7, 2025	ICC WCL2 ODI	Windhoek	Netherlands	53 runs
Feb 2024	ICC WCL2 ODI	Kirtipur	Namibia	24 runs (D/L)
Feb 2024	ICC WCL2 ODI	Kirtipur	Netherlands	7 wickets

Namibia’s only win across the last five meetings came in a rain-affected match decided by the Duckworth-Lewis method. In fully completed matches over this period, Netherlands are unbeaten.

Statistical Records

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Top Run Scorers (T20Is)

Netherlands batters dominate the run-scoring charts in the Namibia national cricket team vs Netherlands national cricket team T20I history. 

Rank	Player	Team	Runs
1	Max O’Dowd	Netherlands	222
2	Michael Levitt	Netherlands	192
3	Jan Frylinck	Namibia	119
4	Gerhard Erasmus	Namibia	118+

Michael Levitt’s 192 runs include his landmark 135 off 62 balls in Kirtipur 2024-the highest individual T20I score ever recorded by a Netherlands batter at the time of the innings.

Top Wicket Takers (T20Is)

Jan Frylinck leads all wicket-takers in the T20I head-to-head history between these sides.

Rank	Player	Team	Wickets	Economy
1	Jan Frylinck	Namibia	7	8.38
2	Timm van der Gugten	Netherlands	5	7.63
3	JJ Smit	Namibia	4	6.92
4	Paul van Meekeren	Netherlands	4	4.25

Paul van Meekeren holds the best economy rate among bowlers with a minimum of 8 overs bowled in this rivalry-4.25-a figure that underlines how well-disciplined the Dutch bowling unit has been in high-pressure moments.

Best Bowling Figures in a Single Match

Player	Team	Figures	Venue
Brandon Glover	Netherlands	3/15	—
Jan Frylinck	Namibia	3/25	—
Logan van Beek	Netherlands	2/13	Delhi, 2026
Bas de Leede	Netherlands	2/20	Delhi, 2026

Highest and Lowest Team Totals

The record total in this rivalry belongs to Netherlands-a devastating 247/5 in 20 overs against Namibia in Kirtipur on February 29, 2024.

Category	Team	Score	Format	Venue	Year
Highest Total	Netherlands	247/5	T20I	Kirtipur	2024
Highest Total (Namibia)	Namibia	203	ODI	Kirtipur	2024
Lowest Total	Namibia	96 all out	T20I	Dubai	2019
Lowest Total (NED)	Netherlands	102 all out	T20I	Windhoek	2013

Highest Partnerships (T20Is)

The most dominant partnership in this rivalry’s history is the 193-run second-wicket stand between Michael Levitt and Sybrand Engelbrecht-the highest partnership for any wicket in Netherlands T20I history.

Wicket	Runs	Players	Team
2nd	193	M Levitt / SA Engelbrecht	Netherlands
3rd	82	MP O’Dowd / CN Ackermann	Netherlands
3rd	70	BFW de Leede / CN Ackermann	Netherlands
1st	59	Vikramjit Singh / MP O’Dowd	Netherlands

Namibia’s most significant partnership in this rivalry came in the 2021 T20 World Cup-a 93-run fourth-wicket stand between Gerhard Erasmus and David Wiese that powered a famous six-wicket chase of 165.

Player of the Match Awards

Match	Winner	Team	Performance
T20 WC 2021, Abu Dhabi	David Wiese	Namibia	66* off 46 balls
T20 WC 2026, Delhi	Bas de Leede	Netherlands	72* (48) + 2/20
WCL2 ODI, Feb 2024	Aryan Dutt	Netherlands	Key bowling spell

David Wiese and Bas de Leede stand as the two defining individual performers in this rivalry-one representing Namibia’s peak, the other representing the modern Dutch era.

Key Players Who Define This Rivalry

Individual brilliance has decided the most important matches in the Namibia national cricket team vs Netherlands national cricket team timeline. These are the players who have shaped every turning point.

Namibia’s Key Players Gerhard Erasmus

Erasmus is Namibia’s most important batter in T20I cricket.He has accumulated 1,833 T20I runs in 77 innings at an average of 32.15. In this rivalry, he contributes regularly but has not yet produced a truly match-defining captain’s innings at a World Cup level. His dismissal in Delhi 2026 for 18 off 9 balls-a rushed cameo-exemplifies the inconsistency that limits Namibia’s totals.

Bernard Scholtz

Scholtz is Namibia’s most economical T20I spinner-79 wickets at 19.79 average, 6.18 economy. He is frequently their most reliable bowler in the middle overs. In the 2026 Delhi match, he conceded 27 off 4 overs-a decent return, but insufficient to stop Bas de Leede once he had settled.

JJ Smit

Smit is Namibia’s most dangerous allround weapon in current cricket. In 2025 T20Is, he scored 250 runs across 9 innings and took 20 wickets in 10 matches at an economy of 6.19, T20 World Cup 2026 preview data. If Namibia are to close the gap against Netherlands, Smit delivering in both departments simultaneously is their most likely path.

Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton

Loftie-Eaton was Namibia’s best batter in Delhi 2026, scoring 42 off 38 balls at the top of the order. His dismissal at the 107-run mark triggered the batting collapse that kept Namibia 15–20 runs below a competitive target. He is Namibia’s most consistent T20I opener in current form.

Netherlands’ Key Players

Bas de Leede

De Leede is the most impactful player in this rivalry’s modern era. He is Netherlands’ all-time leading T20I wicket-taker with 49 wickets across 2018–2026. In the T20 World Cup 2026 match in Delhi, he scored 72* off 48 balls and took 2/20-winning Player of the Match and single-handedly ending Namibia’s competitive threat in the chase.

Max O’Dowd

O’Dowd is the highest run-scorer in T20I head-to-head history between these two sides with 222 runs. His ability to anchor the innings through the powerplay and accelerate in the middle overs creates a consistent platform that Namibia’s bowlers have struggled to disrupt.

Scott Edwards

Edwards is the captain who has engineered the Dutch dominance across the recent qualification cycle. He won the toss in Delhi 2026 and chose to bowl first-reading morning conditions correctly and setting up his bowlers to exploit early movement. His tactical decision-making in matches against Namibia has been consistently superior.

Logan van Beek

Van Beek is the unsung match-winner across this rivalry. His 2/13 from 3 overs in Delhi 2026 broke Namibia’s innings at the decisive midpoint. He has appeared in multiple head-to-head encounters since 2014 and consistently operates at under 6.0 economy in pressure situations.

The Match-by-Match Story

The full match-by-match history of the Namibia national cricket team vs Netherlands national cricket team shows how momentum has shifted-and why the gap has widened in recent years.

2013-Windhoek: Namibia Draw First Blood

At the Wanderers Cricket Ground, Windhoek, Namibia won by 45 runs-their first result against Netherlands and still their most dominant performance in the rivalry. Netherlands were bowled out for 102 chasing 148 in the T20 Quadrangular. High-altitude conditions, variable bounce, and home familiarity gave Namibia every advantage.

This result established the baseline fact: Namibia are genuinely dangerous at home. It took Netherlands 12 years to win convincingly in Windhoek.

2015-Dublin: Netherlands’ First ICC Tournament Win Against Namibia

At The Village ground in the T20 World Cup Qualifier, Netherlands won by 2 wickets in the final over-chasing down Namibia’s 135/6 with deliveries remaining. This was not comfortable cricket. Namibia had the Dutch under sustained pressure and came within one or two moments of a famous upset. This is where the Dutch winning record in ICC tournament cricket against Namibia begins-a run that has continued to 2026.

2019-Dubai: Netherlands’ Most Clinical Performance

Netherlands posted 140/6 and bowled Namibia out for 96 all out in 20 overs-winning by 44 runs. This remains Namibia’s lowest T20I total against Netherlands. The evening UAE conditions, flat surface, and away pressure combined to expose Namibia’s batting depth problem in its starkest form. This match in Dubai was the first time Namibia’s batting completely collapsed against Netherlands bowling. The pattern-early wickets, middle-order panic-would repeat in Windhoek 2025 and Delhi 2026.

2021 T20 World Cup-Abu Dhabi: Namibia’s Greatest Result

October 20, 2021. Netherlands set 165/4 in 20 overs-a challenging total at any associate level. David Wiese then produced one of the finest innings in Namibia’s T20I history: 66* off 46 balls, sharing a 93-run fourth-wicket partnership with Erasmus. Namibia chased the target down in 19 overs, winning by 6 wickets. Wiese won Player of the Match and Namibia qualified for the T20 World Cup Super 12 stage. This match is the single highest point in the Namibia national cricket team vs Netherlands national cricket team timeline.

2022 T20 World Cup-Geelong: Netherlands Level at a World Cup

Kardinia Park, Geelong. Netherlands won by 5 wickets, chasing Namibia’s 121/6 in 19.3 overs. Namibia’s total was under-par on a quick Australian surface and Netherlands chased it without serious alarm. The World Cup rivalry was now tied at one win each.

February 2024-Kirtipur: Netherlands Set an All-Time Record

In the Nepal Tri-Series T20I on February 29, Netherlands posted 247/5 in 20 overs against Namibia-their highest-ever T20I total. Michael Levitt scored 135 off 62 balls, sharing a record 193-run second-wicket stand with Sybrand Engelbrecht. Netherlands won by 59 runs. According to DutchNews.nl’s match report, it was the highest individual T20I score by a Dutch batter on record.

In the WCL2 ODI series played in the same window, Netherlands won by 7 wickets in Match 3 and Namibia won Match 5 by 24 runs under D/L-the most recent Namibia win in this rivalry.

March 2025-Windhoek: The Home Fortress Falls

Two Netherlands victories in Windhoek fundamentally changed this rivalry. On March 7, Netherlands won by 53 runs-Namibia dismissed for 106 off 44.5 overs. On March 13, Netherlands won by 7 wickets, chasing 148 in 27 overs. Recent results suggest Netherlands have become significantly more effective in Namibian conditions. Winning both ODIs on Namibia’s home ground-where Netherlands had not won previously-is the most significant tactical development in the recent chapter of this rivalry.

February 10, 2026-Delhi: The Modern Era Defined

This match is the clearest statement yet of where the Namibia national cricket team vs Netherlands national cricket team rivalry currently stands.

Namibia innings: 156/8 in 20 overs. Loftie-Eaton top-scored with 42 off 38. Namibia reached 94/2 after 12 overs before collapsing to 156/8-scoring only 62 runs from the final 8 overs. Six wickets fell. Logan van Beek (2/13) and de Leede (2/20) were the key wicket-takers.

Netherlands innings: 159/3 in 18 overs. Bas de Leede scored 72* off 48 balls, sharing a 70-run third-wicket stand with Ackermann (32 off 28). Netherlands won with 12 balls remaining.

Namibia batters got starts but nobody apart from Loftie-Eaton managed a substantial score-meaning they stopped well below the par score on that surface.

De Leede won Player of the Match-his second such award in this rivalry in a World Cup fixture.

Rivalry by Venue

Venue data confirms that the Netherlands have overcome every geographical challenge in this fixture. Namibia’s home advantage is no longer a reliable factor.

Venue	Country	Netherlands Wins	Namibia Wins
Windhoek	Namibia (Home)	2	1
Kirtipur	Neutral	2	1
Abu Dhabi	Neutral	0	1
Geelong	Neutral	1	0
Dublin	Neutral	1	0
Dubai	Neutral	1	0
Delhi	Neutral	1	0

Namibia’s only wins: home in 2013 and a single neutral-venue World Cup result in 2021. The Netherlands have won on every continent this rivalry has been played on.

Rivalry by Tournament

Tournament	Matches	Netherlands	Namibia	NR
ICC T20 World Cup	3	2	1	0
ICC WCL2 ODIs	4	3	1	0
T20 Qualifiers / Series	4	3	0	1

Netherlands have never lost a World Cup League 2 ODI series against Namibia. Their 3–1 ODI record across the ongoing qualification cycle shows a structural advantage that goes beyond individual matches.

What the Numbers Actually Reveal

The 8–2 scoreline flatters neither side. Several of Netherlands’ wins were tight-Dublin 2015 came by 2 wickets, and the Kirtipur ODI result in 2024 was reversed in the next match. Namibia are capable of beating this Dutch side. But here is the real problem: Namibia consistently fails in the final overs with the bat. In Dubai 2019 they were dismissed for 96. In Windhoek March 2025 they managed only 106. In Delhi 2026, they scored 62 from their last 8 overs after reaching 94/2. The top three are not the problem. The collapse in overs 15–20 is a structural weakness that has appeared across formats, venues, and years. Netherlands’ structural advantage is batting depth that does not depend on any single player. O’Dowd, Levitt, de Leede, and Ackermann have all produced match-defining innings in this rivalry at different stages. When one fails, another delivers. Namibia have not yet built that equivalent interchangeability in their middle and lower order. The key tactical difference in the most recent match in Delhi was the toss. Edwards won it, read the morning conditions, and chose to bowl-a decision that gave Dutch seamers early assistance and kept Namibia under pressure during the powerplay. Namibia’s captain had no structural counter.

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