Nedbank Desert Ice T20 League back for fourth edition
The 2026 edition of the Nedbank Namibia Desert Ice T20 League was officially launched by Impact Cricket Namibia recently at the new Namibia Cricket Ground.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from 9 May to 2 August at venues including the United Cricket Grounds, the Wanderers Cricket Grounds, and the Windhoek Afrikaans Private School Park. The 2026 edition will feature eight teams and 160 players from national, premier and junior divisions competing across 30 matches.
The winners will take home N$50 000, which may be used for institutional development, while the runners-up will receive N$10 000. The tournament is proudly sponsored by Nedbank Namibia through its Pay Today and Avo SuperShop platforms, which increased sponsorship from N$150 000 in 2025 to N$200 000 this year.
The sponsorship will support administrative costs and contribute to the development of cricket in Namibia by providing a platform for players to build match temperament and prepare for international competition. The league was first introduced four years ago to address a gap in player development.
The 2026 season features eight teams: Central Sunrisers (Windhoek), CCD Tigers (Windhoek), SPUR Warriors (Walvis Bay and Swakopmund), Green Mambas (Windhoek), Gobabis Bulls (Gobabis), Run Whisperers (Windhoek), UNAM Zebras (Windhoek) and Etungo Kudus (Okahandja and the north).
Teams will compete in a round-robin format, with the top three progressing to the playoffs to determine the finalists for the championship match on 2 August at the United Grounds.
Director of Impact Cricket Namibia, Asad Abbas, said the initiative continues to support numerous local professionals, including media managers, umpires, scorers, groundsmen and kit manufacturers.
“This year, we have introduced the ‘super-sub’ rule. This allows teams to involve 12 players in a match, as the super-sub can replace any player at any time for the remainder of the game. However, a premier or national player cannot serve as a super-sub, ensuring that the rule primarily benefits emerging players and promotes their development within the league. We have also maintained a minimum age requirement of 14 years to encourage youth participation,” he said.
Abbas added that the 2026 edition of the Nedbank Namibia Desert Ice T20 League represents another major step forward for Namibian cricket.
“Our mission has always been to create a platform that accelerates domestic talent development, and this season we’re raising the bar with even more opportunities for players to compete at a high-performance level, better venues, better coverage and tougher opponents,” he said.
He added that the 2025 season successfully provided competitive matches for cricketers from junior to national levels, while also delivering strong brand visibility across print and digital media. This included 46 livestreams with more than 432 000 views, as well as coverage in major newspapers through the efforts of the Impact Cricket Namibia team.
Nedbank Namibia's spokesperson Selma kaulinge said the Nedbank Namibia Desert Ice T20 League has the potential to become a world-class cricket spectacle and position Namibia as a hub for elite T20 competition.
“Nedbank Namibia remains deeply committed to the development of local sport as a primary vehicle for community upliftment and youth empowerment. By supporting this tournament, we enable vital participation for over 160 players, ensuring they receive the high-level match exposure necessary to compete on the global stage,” she said.
Kaulinge added that supporting such initiatives also helps build a sustainable cricket ecosystem through investment in infrastructure, coaching and youth development, while assisting in the growth of players capable of representing Namibia at the elite level.
