Muddassar Bukhari of Netherlands celebrates in the ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh in 2014

Namibia hosts Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 2

OFFICIAL GUIDEDivision 2, Namibia 2015 17 - 24 January

Namibia is the host for the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 2 from 17-24 January 2015. Six teams will battle for the top honours.

Canada, Kenya, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands and Uganda will lock horns in the eight-day round robin tournament, which provides the opportunity for the top two teams to progress to the ICC’s four-day, first class competition for Associate and Affiliate Members, the ICC Intercontinental Cup, as well as the 50-over Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship 2015-2017.

WCL Division 2 will be held across three grounds; Wanderers, Wanderers Affies and United with the final to be played at Wanderers on Saturday, 24 January.

This divisional event is part of the Pepsi ICC Development Programme, which provides regular playing opportunities for similar standard Associate and Affiliate Members in an international, 50-over competition structure. It provides valuable nation versus nation experience to the competing teams, while also helping the teams improve the standard of competitive cricket on the field of play.

Following the recent decision of the ICC to “break the glass ceiling” and allow AMs the opportunity to play Test cricket, the WCL is now part of this process as it provides a pathway into the ICC’s four-day, first-class Intercontinental Cup 2015-17. In addition, WCL Division 2 provides the opportunity for the top two teams to progress to the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship.

More information on the Pepsi ICC Development Programme and the WCL Structure can be found at: www.icc-cricket.com

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Canada celebrate after winning the ICC Americas Division OneNepal wins the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 3 in Malaysia

Division 2 Namibia 2015

www.pepsiiccworldcricketleague.com

TEAM PROFILESCANADA After finishing eighth at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in January, 2014, Canada will look to put in a good performance in Division 2. Winning just one match in the group stage defeating Nepal by 12 runs, Nepal did not qualify to the super sixes stage after losing matches to UAE, Hong Kong and a big defeat to Scotland.

However, the North American side did get a win under its belt defeating Uganda in Playoff 2 by 59 runs, after Raza-ur-Rehman hit 89. In the seventh place playoff, Netherlands required 211 cruising to victory winning by 8 wickets and scoring the runs in 36.4 overs. Canada will be looking for a revival in ICC WCL Div 2 with familiar opponents to climb back up the 50 over ladder. Canada has a long history in ICC WCL events finishing fourth in ICC WCL Div 1 2007, fifth in 2010 and eighth in the ICC World Cricket League Championship 2011-2013. It has also played in four ICC Cricket World Cups in 1979, 2003, 2007 and 2011.

KENYA NAMIBIAAs host, Namibia will be looking to create an advantage, building on a strong showing in New Zealand for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, winning three out of its four matches in the group stage. The Namibians started strong defeating Netherlands by 91 runs, with Gerrie Snyman scoring 74 runs, following that up with a victory against Kenya by 2 wickets. Facing Uganda in its third match, a great bowling performance by Charles Waiswa who took 4 wickets for 30 runs ensured victory, bowling Uganda out for 60 runs and winning by 100 runs. Qualifying in second place its form didn’t continue into the super sixes, finishing sixth.

Namibia has made its way through ICC World Cricket League finishing 3rd in ICC WCL Div 2 in 2007 and then finishing 2nd in 2011; with a 7th finish at ICC World Cricket League Championship 2011-2013. Namibia played in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies.

Kenya’s performance in recent one-day cricket has been strong with a good showing in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand at the beginning of 2014. After an early defeat to Papua New Guinea in the opening match by 8 wickets, it lost to Namibia in the second match by 2 wickets. Kenya needed to recover and did so beating Uganda by 47 runs with Alex Obanda scoring 80 runs. In the final group stage match, Kenya faced Netherlands in a must-win match for qualification to the super sixes, the Dutch scoring 265 for 5. It looked an uphill battle for the Kenyans, but with Irfan Karim scoring 108 from 84 balls, Kenya won by 4 wickets and qualified for the next round on net-run-rate. In the super sixes, Kenya managed just one victory against Hong Kong, Karim scoring 82 runs. The Kenyans lost all of its remaining matches, finishing fifth, and it

will aim to produce similar performances to have a good tournament in Namibia. Kenya are previous winners of ICC WCL Div 1 in 2007, then sixth in 2010 and finishing sixth place in the ICC World Cricket League Championship in 2011-2013. Kenya have played in five ICC Cricket World Cups from 1996-2011 and its best performance was in 2003 when it reached the semi-final.

SQUAD LISTAmarbir HANSRA (c)

Rizwan CHEEMAParth DESAI

Navneet DHALIWALSatsimranjit DHINDSA

Nikhil DUTTARuvindu GUNASEKERA

Nitish KUMARUsman LIMBADA

Umer NAWAZCecil PERVEZ

Durand SORAINEHamza TARIQ

Srimantha WIJEYERATNE

SQUAD LISTRakep PATEL (c)

Elijah ASOYOAlex AUMA

Jadavji BHIMJIJames KAMANDE

Irfan KARIMLucas NDANDASON

James NGOCHENehemiah NGOCHE

Shem NGOCHECollins OBUYA

Nelson ODHIAMBONarendra PATELGurdeep SINGH

SQUAD LISTSQUAD LISTNicolaas SCHOLTZ (c)

Stephen BAARDSarel BURGER

Merwe ERASMUSLouis KLAZINGA

Bjorn KOTZEJean- Pierre KOTZEBernard SCHOLTZ

Johannes SMITChristiaan SNYMAN

Gerrie SNYMANRaymond VAN SCHOOR

Craig WILLIAMSHelao YA FRANCE

Captain Amarbir Hansra builds a strong partnership with fellow Canadian batter

Batter Patel sweeps against Zimbabwe

Sarel Burger is dismissed for 22 during the ICC World Twenty20 1st Qualifying Final between Afghanistan and Namibia in 2012

Division 2, Namibia 2015

OFFICIAL GUIDE

NEPAL NETHERLANDS Nepal has continued to climb up the WCL ladder, having won Division 5 on home soil in 2010. The side finished third in Division 4 a few months later to narrowly miss out on promotion, and reappeared in Division 4 in September 2012,

where it defeated USA in the final to end the tournament unbeaten. Nepal went on to win Division 3 in April 2013 after winning its last four matches, which earned the side qualification to the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier New Zealand 2014. Nepal finished ninth in that tournament after losing all its group stage matches; beating Uganda in the ninth-place play-off by 160 runs with Prithu Baskota scoring 59 not out from 51 balls. Nepal qualified for Division 2 at the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 3 in October 2014, defeating Uganda by 62 runs in the final in Malaysia. Top scorer Sagar Pun with 64 led the Nepalese to victory, they will be looking to keep the momentum going at ICC World Cricket League Division 2 and to continue climbing through the ranks. There are now high expectations of Nepal after competing at the ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh in 2014.

UGANDAUganda won the inaugural Division 3 tournament in May 2007 to earn promotion to Division 2 in Namibia a few months later. The side recorded a single victory to return back to Division 3 in January 2009, where it defeated Afghanistan and Hong Kong to finish second and secure promotion back to Division 2, where it managed one win, against Bermuda.

Back in Division 3 in April 2013, Uganda topped the points table in the league stage to book a place at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier New Zealand 2014. However, it missed out on winning the title, losing to Nepal by five wickets in the final. Uganda qualified for Division 2 by finishing second in Division 3 in October 2014, after missing out victory, after being defeated by Nepal by 62 runs in the final.

Netherlands had a testing time at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier and will be looking to regain form ahead of Division 2, missing out on the super six stage to Kenya by net run rate after being defeated by the Kenyans by 4 wickets in its final group match. Netherlands won the 7th place play off defeating Canada by 8 wickets with Eric Szwarczynski scoring 75 not out from 116 balls. Netherlands has made its way through World Cricket League finishing 3rd in Division one in 2007, 4th in 2010 and then 4th in the 2011-2013 ICC World Cricket League Championship. Netherlands have played in four ICC Cricket World Cups in 1996, 2003, 2007 and 2011.

SQUAD LISTParas KHADKA (c)Binod BHANDARIAmrit BHATTARAI

Naresh Bahadur BUDHAAYERShakti Prasad GAUCHAN

Sompal KAMIBhuban KARKI

Karan KCSubash KHAKURELGyanendra MALLA

Sagar PUNBasant REGMI

MD Arif SHEIKHSharad VESAWKAR

SQUAD LISTPeter BORREN (c)

Rahil AHMEDWesley BARRESIJeroen BRAND

Mudassar BUKHARIBen COOPER

Vivian KINGMAAhsan MALIK

Stephan MYBURGHMichael RIPPONPieter SEELAAR

Eric SZWARCZYNSKIPaul VAN MEEKEREN

Matthijs VAN SCHELVEN

SQUAD LISTFrank NSUBUGA (c)Davis KARASHANIHamu KAYONDO

Arthur KYOBEBrian MASABA

Deusdedit MUHUMUZARoger MUKASA

Phillemon MUKOBEAbram MUTYAGABA

Patrick OCHANDanniel RUYANGEJonathan SEBANJA

Laurence SEMATIMBAHenry SSENYONDO

Nepal’s Shakti Prasad Gauchan and Sharad Vesawkar discuss tactics

Stephan Myburgh of Netherlands bats during the ICC World Twenty20 2014 match between Ireland and Netherlands at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium

The Ugandan team celebrate taking a wicket

WELCOME MESSAGES

PEPSI ICC WORLD CRICKET LEAGUE OFFICIAL GUIDE

Media Manager: Mary GodbeerTel: +44 7530 644793Email: mary.godbeer@icc-europe.org

Photos courtesy of: 2013 © IDI/Getty, 2014 © IDI/Getty and 2014 © IDI/Bharath Ananthanarayana Designed and produced by Tobasgo CreativeAll information correct as at 17 January 2015

ICC CONTACTS CREDITS

www.pepsiiccworldcricketleague.com

N. SRINIVASANWelcome to the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division 2 in Namibia. We wish the host every

success in staging an enjoyable and successful event. I also heartily welcome the teams, match officials, media and fans from Canada, Kenya, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands and Uganda.

The Pepsi ICC Development Programme - which commenced in 1997 - plays an important role in the growth and improvement of cricket in ICC’s Associate and Affiliate Members (AMs). The Development Programme oversees all qualification structures into ICC’s major events.

Following the recent decision of the ICC to “break the glass ceiling” and allow AMs the opportunity to play Test cricket, the WCL is now part of this process as it provides a pathway into the ICC’s four-day Intercontinental Cup. In addition, WCL Division 2 provides the opportunity for the top two teams to progress to the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship 2015-17.

Such international event pathways complement the ICC’s ongoing development work that aims to improve all facets of the game in AMs, including facilities, coaching, administration, education and domestic competition.

There is much to play for, and I wish the players the best of luck as they compare for both the tournament trophy and the chance to reach the top of the Associate and Affiliate ladder.

I would like to thank Cricket Namibia for its hard work and dedication in staging this event.

N. Srinivasan ICC Chairman

Division 2 Namibia 2015

Division 2, Namibia 2015

OFFICIAL GUIDE

R. FRANKLEIt gives me great pleasure to welcome all players, officials, ICC Representatives and members of the media

to our wonderful country, Namibia, for the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 2 tournament.

Cricket Namibia is honoured to host this important tournament on behalf of the International Cricket Council. We look forward to giving players and officials from Canada, Kenya, Nepal, Netherlands and Uganda an experience that they will never forget.

This tournament is the start of Cricket Namibia’s centenary celebrations, with cricket being played in this country since 1915. To have an ICC tournament of this magnitude kicking off our centenary celebrations is truly an honour and I thank the ICC Organising Committee for showing faith in Cricket Namibia and allowing us to host this event.

We welcome you all to our capital city, Windhoek and trust that you will experience Namibian hospitality at its best.

To the players, I wish you a successful tournament, played in a great spirit, where your skills and talents can be showcased. I urge you to show respect to your opponents, your teammates, especially the match officials whom without we cannot play this beautiful game.

To the fans, I invite you to come out with your families to enjoy an exhibition of cricket played at its best between a kaleidoscope of cricketing nations, each of which brings magnificent skills to the playing field.

In conclusion, I need to acknowledge and thank our local organising committee under the leadership of the effervescent Laurie Peters. When the opportunity to submit a bid to host this tournament presented itself, it was embraced with enthusiasm, dedication and professionalism by the Board of Cricket Namibia and under the guidance of Laurie, Cricket Namibia was able to submit a successful bid. All that remains is for a successful bid to be turned into a memorable tournament.

Richard Frankle Cricket Namibia President

PEPSI ICC WCL LEAGUE DIVISION 2 MATCH SCHEDULE

* Note: all matches will start at 09.30am (local time)

DAY DATE WANDERERS UNITED WANDERERS AFFIES 1 Sat17Jan2015 NamibiavKenya NetherlandsvCanada UgandavNepal

2 Sun18Jan2015 NamibiavUganda NepalvNetherlands KenyavCanada

3 Mon19Jan2015 Rest/Reserve

4 Tue20Jan2015 NepalvCanada KenyavUganda NamibiavNetherlands

5 Wed21Jan2015 KenyavNetherlands NamibiavNepal CanadavUganda

6 Thu22Jan2015 Rest/Reserve

7 Fri23Jan2015 NetherlandsvUganda NamibiavCanada NepalvKenya

8 Sat24Jan2015 Final 3rdv4thPlayoff 5thv6thPlayoff