JJ Smit is a Namibian professional cricketer who has represented his country in the shorter formats (ODIs and T20Is) of the sport, as a bowling all-rounder. He made his debut for the Namibian senior national team in February 2012, at the age of just 16. He made his ODI debut in April 2019 and his
JJ Smit Quick Info
Height
5 ft 11 in
Weight
76 kg
Date of Birth
November 10, 1995
Zodiac Sign
Scorpio
Girlfriend
Esmarie Peters
JJ Smit is a Namibian professional cricketer who has represented his country in the shorter formats (ODIs and T20Is) of the sport, as a bowling all-rounder. He made his debut for the Namibian senior national team in February 2012, at the age of just 16. He made his ODI debut in April 2019 and his T20I debut in May 2019.
Born Name
Johannes Jonathan Smit
Nick Name
JJ
Sun Sign
Scorpio
Born Place
Keetmanshoop, Namibia
Residence
Namibia
Nationality
Occupation
Professional Cricketer
Batting
Right-Handed
Bowling
Left-Arm Medium-Fast
Role
Bowling All-Rounder
Jersey Number
12 – T20 International (T20I)
Build
Athletic
Height
5 ft 11 in or 180.5 cm
Weight
76 kg or 167.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
JJ Smit has dated –
Esmarie Peters (2021-Present)
Race / Ethnicity
White
Hair Color
Dark Brown
Eye Color
Light Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
Toned physique
Short-cropped, side-parted hair
Affable smile
Clean-shaven look
Brand Endorsements
He has been sponsored by –
Bosbul (South Africa-based apparel brand)
Sedgars Sport (South African sports equipment & apparel brand)
Religion
Christianity
JJ Smit Facts
JJ Smit first came into the spotlight during the 2013 edition of the ICC (International Cricket Council) Africa Under-19 Championship where he was the 2nd-highest wicket-taker in the tournament, with 12 scalps to his name.
In the final match of the tournament, against Kenya, he bowled a sensational spell (4/17 from 8 overs) that included a hat-trick (the feat of dismissing 3 batsmen off 3 successive legal deliveries). He was named the ‘Player of the Match’ for his performance as Namibia went on to defeat Kenya by 52 runs and qualify for the 2014 edition of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
He was named the ‘Player of the Tournament’ at the 2019 ICC World Cricket League Division Two series where Namibia finished in the ‘Top 4’ which helped the team attain ODI (One Day International) status.
In June 2019, he was selected by the Vancouver Knights for the upcoming season of the Global T20 Canada tournament. This made him the first Namibian cricketer to have been signed by an overseas T20 franchise team.
He was the leading wicket-taker for Namibia (16 dismissals in 9 matches) at the 2019 edition of the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament. His performance played a vital role in helping Namibia finish 4th overall in the tournament which helped them qualify for the 2020 edition (which was eventually played in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) of the ICC World T20. In September 2021, he was named Namibia’s vice-captain for that tournament.
In November 2021, he scored 56 runs and recorded a bowling spell of 5/26 in an ODI match against Oman. This was just the 22nd occasion in the history of ODI cricket that a male player had scored more than 50 runs and captured more than 5 wickets in the same match. To put the rarity of this achievement in perspective, this was the 4,336th men’s ODI match. JJ Smit’s performance was also the first such by a Namibian cricketer.
In April 2022, he recorded figures of 6/10 in 4 overs in a T20I match against Uganda. As of October 2022, only 4 bowlers, in the history of T20I cricket, had recorded better bowling figures in a match than JJ Smit’s 6/10. This was also the first 5-wicket haul of his T20I career. His spell included a hat-trick as well, the first by a Namibian bowler in T20I cricket.