New friends CP Rizwan and Gerhard Erasmus turn foes again as they eye Cricket World Cup

When the captains of UAE and Namibia meet for the toss ahead of their vital Cricket World Cup League 2 encounter in Dubai on Thursday, they might shake hands and think: “Don’t I know you from somewhere?”

Somewhere very similar, in fact. Less than two weeks ago, they had celebrated victory together in the DP World International League T20 on the very same field.

Now, though, CP Rizwan and Gerhard Erasmus will be plotting against each other, in the colours of UAE and Namibia respectively.

A competition which started three-and-a-half years ago is suddenly reaching boiling point. In Namibia’s case, they have played 34 games already, leaving them which just two leftover fixtures against UAE to press their claim for direct entry to the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe this summer.

In turn, the top two sides in that tournament will advance to the main event in India, in October and November of this year.

UAE trail their guests by 10 points in the table, but do have 10 games remaining to them try to bridge the gap.

That includes four games, home and away, against Nepal, who are also in contention for the third qualifying berth, with Scotland and Oman already assured of the other two places.

It remains to be seen whether familiarity with his opposite number will be advantageous to either captain heading into the matches between UAE and Namibia this week.

Either way, Rizwan is grateful for the time he spent with Erasmus as part of the Gulf Giants squad in the ILT20.

CP Rizwan and Gerhard Erasmus will be on opposing sides when UAE take on Namibia in the Cricket World Cup League 2 in Dubai on Thursday. Photo: CP Rizwan

Erasmus played a key role in winning that final against Desert Vipers at Dubai International Stadium on February