Namibia and Zimbabwe have secured their places at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after reaching the final of the Africa Regional Qualifier in Harare on Thursday. Both teams booked tickets for the tournament co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February-March 2026.

Namibia Cruises to Fourth Consecutive T20WC

Namibia defeated Tanzania by 63 runs in a thrilling semi-final. The Eagles were struggling at 41/4 in the fifth over but recovered through a match-turning partnership of 88 runs in 7.4 overs between Gerhard Erasmus and JJ Smit.

Erasmus’ calm innings and Smit’s aggressive counter-attack helped Namibia post 174/6. Their bowlers then restricted Tanzania to 111/8, securing a comfortable win. This victory marks Namibia’s fourth consecutive T20 World Cup qualification, following appearances in 2021, 2022, and 2024.

Zimbabwe Returns to the Big Stage

Hosts Zimbabwe, absent from the 2024 edition, bounced back emphatically by defeating Kenya by seven wickets. Kenya set a modest target of 123, largely thanks to Rakep Patel’s 65 (47). Zimbabwe chased it down in 15 overs, with opener Brian Bennett hitting a blistering 51 off 25 balls.

The Zimbabwean bowlers had earlier restricted Kenya to 122/6, paving the way for a smooth chase. With this win, Zimbabwe became the 17th team to qualify for T20 World Cup 2026.

Upcoming Africa Final

Namibia and Zimbabwe will face off in the Africa Regional Final on October 4, but both sides have already secured their World Cup spots.

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Full List of Teams Qualified for T20 World Cup 2026

 Only three spots remain, which will be decided via the Asia-EAP Qualifier next year.

Zimbabwe Set to Host Afghanistan

In other news, Zimbabwe will host Afghanistan for a one-off Test and three T20Is in October-November.

Zimbabwe’s managing director Givemore Makoni highlighted that matches against Afghanistan are “keenly contested and entertaining,” promising exciting cricket for fans. 

Namibia and Zimbabwe are now back on the T20 World Cup stage, ready to challenge the world’s best next February in India and Sri Lanka.