Namibia’s player David Wiese has stopped playing for his country’s team after their last game in the T20 World Cup against England on Sunday. Namibia’s time in the tournament finished when they lost their third game to England, who were the defending champions. Namibia’s only victory in the competition was against Oman. When Wiese got out by Jofra Archer in the last over of Namibia’s attempt to win the rain-shortened match, he lifted his helmet and bat to the crowd as he left the field and was then welcomed by his teammates, including the captain Gerhard Erasmus, at the side of the field.
“The next T20 World Cup is two years away, and I’m 39 now, so I’m not sure how much more I can play in international cricket,” Wiese said after the game. “I still want to play for a few more years because I think I can still help the team and enjoy the game,” he explained.
“But it feels right to end my career with Namibia, where I’ve had many good times. Playing my last game for them at a World Cup against a strong team like England seems like the perfect time,” he mentioned.
Wiese, who usually bats in the middle order, was moved up to bat third. He hit two sixes and a four off Adil Rashid’s bowling, scoring 27 runs in just 12 balls.
Wiese is originally from South Africa but has played in three T20 World Cups for Namibia.
Wiese started playing T20I for South Africa in 2013 and ODI in 2015. He played for South Africa in the 2016 T20 World Cup. In 2021, he played for Namibia in the T20 World Cup and helped them reach the Super 12s.
Namibia’s captain, Gerhard Erasmus, also said that Wiese’s final game for Namibia was against England on Sunday.
“Sadly, it was his final game, and it was a big moment for him to play so well in his last one,” Erasmus mentioned after the game.
“He made a huge difference, especially with the quality of cricket he added to our team.
He’s amazing when it comes to playing, but outside of the game, he’s taught us a lot and encouraged us to reach higher levels,” the captain of Namibia explained.
