We're for Namibians: Gerhard Erasmus

If you ask Gerhard Erasmus what it means to be proudly Namibian, he’ll tell you it’s more than the badge on his jersey. It’s the feeling he gets when the national anthem plays, the grit that gets him through hard-fought matches, and the pride of walking onto the world stage as a product of Namibia’s soil and sunshine.

Born and raised in Windhoek, Gerhard is a cricket captain with his feet firmly planted in local ground. “Windhoek is home. It’s where my values were formed, where I learned what hard work looks like,” he says. Those values would one day propel him from schoolboy cricketer to national captain.

As the leader of Namibia’s national men’s cricket team – The Eagles – Gerhard has guided the side to unprecedented victories, including wins against full member nations like Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. But it was the team’s historic win over South Africa’s Proteas on 11 October 2025 that truly captured the nation’s imagination. In front of a roaring home crowd at the newly inaugurated Namibia Cricket Grounds, Gerhard led his squad to a dramatic victory – a game now etched into Namibian sporting history.

“That day was a dream,” he reflects. “It wasn’t just a win – it was a message. Namibia belongs on the world stage.”

For Gerhard, cricket is more than sport – it’s a platform for purpose. He speaks passionately about the people who built Cricket Namibia into a national force: “It’s a real family. A lot of people gave their time and belief long before we saw results, and that culture still drives us.” He’s especially proud that cricket is growing in reach and reputation: “There are more school leagues, more club players, more excitement. It’s a brand all Namibians can be proud of.”

As captain, he’s committed to shaping not only a successful team, but a sustainable future. “Exposure is everything,” he says. “We have to keep giving our youth opportunities to play and compete. That’s how we grow the next generation of national players.”

Off the pitch, Gerhard is close to qualifying as an attorney – a parallel career shaped by the same values of discipline and leadership. “Sport taught me how to work hard and stay focused. That’s the message I share with young Namibians: back yourself. Namibia is enough.”

In February, he’ll lead the Eagles to India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with the hopes of an entire nation behind them. “Namibia is unique,” he says. “We may be small, but we’re resilient. And we know how to compete.”

As Gerhard steps onto the world stage once more, he does so not just as a cricketer, but as a leader – showing what’s possible when a country dares to believe in itself.