India is set to face Namibia in its next match of the T20 World Cup 2026, marking the third encounter between the two sides in an ICC tournament. India and Namibia previously met in the 2003 ODI World Cup and the 2021 T20 World Cup, with India emerging victorious on both occasions. While India once again enters the match as favourites, the spotlight shifts to an extraordinary figure from Namibian cricket history—Rudi van Vuuren, the man who famously dismissed Sachin Tendulkar and is now the president of Cricket Namibia.

Rudi van Vuuren is one of the most remarkable personalities associated with Namibian sport. Now 53 years old, he wears many hats—former international cricketer, qualified medical doctor, wildlife conservationist, rugby player, and currently, the president of Namibia’s cricket board. His journey is as unique as it is inspiring.

Van Vuuren completed his medical education at Stellenbosch University in South Africa in the early 1990s. His medical career reached national prominence when he served as the personal physician to Namibia’s former President, Hage Geingob. In 2000, he married environmentalist Marlies van Vuuren, and together the couple established their own wildlife sanctuary, reflecting their shared passion for conservation.

Despite his achievements off the field, Van Vuuren is best remembered by cricket fans for a historic moment during the 2003 ODI World Cup. In a match against India, he etched his name into cricket folklore by clean bowling Sachin Tendulkar, who had scored a brilliant 152 runs. That wicket remains one of the most talked-about moments of Namibia’s cricketing history.