Ahead of their upcoming T20 World Cup clash, Namibia all-rounder Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton noted that the burden of expectation sits firmly on the shoulders of the defending champions. He suggested that playing on home turf adds a layer of pressure for India, whereas Namibia enters the contest with an underdog mentality and nothing to lose.
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Pressure is on India to be honest: Namibia's Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton
The two teams arrive at this fixture following very different starts to their respective campaigns. While India secured a victory against the USA in their opening match in Mumbai, Namibia is looking to bounce back after a tough loss to the Netherlands this past Tuesday.
"Playing India in India is massive, pressure is on India to be honest, home crowd advantage, home ground advantage as well. We are going in with nothing to lose to be honest. We are going there to showcase our talents and abilities, hopefully it comes up on that day," Loftie-Eaton told PTI.
"We just gotta back our skills given our day and we have done our homework, lot of tactical talks going around. We just have to back our skills on the given day. T20 is a funny game anything can happen," he added.
At just 24 years old, the batting all-rounder brings a significant amount of international experience to the field, having already represented his country in 51 ODIs and 52 T20Is. His seasoned perspective reflects a player who has grown alongside his team on the global stage.
Beyond his personal career milestones, he highlighted the evolution of the sport back home. He noted that cricket is currently experiencing a massive surge in popularity and development within his country, signaling a bright future for the next generation of players.
"It's becoming people's massive choice. We had a game against South Africa at our newly inaugurated ground where 5000 people came to watch and it was the first time. It is definitely growing in the right direction. So we just have to carry that momentum forward and keep on going the game and become one of the biggest associate countries in the nation," Loftie-Eaton further stated.
'We have to set higher goals and highest standards'
The all-rounder articulated a bold vision for the future of Namibian cricket, stating that the nation's ultimate objective is to achieve Test-playing status. This ambition reflects the team's desire to move beyond the shorter formats and prove their mettle in the most traditional and rigorous version of the game. This confidence is backed by recent history; in October 2025, Namibia secured a landmark four-wicket victory over a reshuffled South African side in a T20I held in Windhoek. Loftie-Eaton, who was a key member of that winning squad, views such successes as proof that they can compete with, and beat, the world’s top cricketing powers.
"We have to set higher goals and highest standards. Definitely the South Africa win has put us on the map, but we have been on the map in the last few years, we have had some pretty good consistent World Cup last few years," he concluded.