Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus has publicly questioned what he described as unequal preparation conditions ahead of his side’s night match against India, saying his team was not given a single training session under floodlights while India had two.
Speaking to the media, Erasmus said that although the game is set for the evening, Namibia did not receive a single practice session under lights. He added that he was unsure why the decision was made.
Namibia played an 11 a.m. match against the Netherlands at the same venue on February 10 and trained the following day. However, their session was scheduled from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., which did not allow them to prepare in night conditions.
In contrast, India trained on February 10 and 11 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., giving them two sessions under floodlights. Canada was also seen training during the same evening slot on Wednesday, even though their February 13 match against the UAE is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Erasmus noted that other teams appeared to have greater flexibility in their preparations. He also pointed out that Namibia lacks strong floodlight infrastructure at home, making such sessions especially important for his squad.
“We don’t even have proper lights back home for day-night matches. Infrastructure is a real challenge for us, so this isn’t a small issue for inexperienced players,” Erasmus said.
He explained that many Namibian players are not accustomed to playing under lights and have had limited opportunities to train at night, including during the current tour of India.
Despite the situation, Erasmus emphasized that the team remains determined to compete and represent their country with pride.