Historic upset! Namibia pull off incredible win against cricket giants South Africa in their first-ever T20I clash
South Africa batted first but struggled on a slow pitch and a slow outfield and finished on 134/8 with Jason Smith top-scoring with 31 runs. Namibia started their chase nervously, losing 5 wickets for 84 runs, mirroring South Africa’s batting struggles.
A stunning late-hit display from goalkeeper Zane Green powered Namibia to an improbable victory over South Africa in the one-off Twenty20 international on Saturday. Green, unbeaten in 30 matches, contributed 23 of Namibia’s 26 runs in the last two overs of this historic match between neighboring African countries.
Needing 11 runs in the last over, Green bowled first for a six off Andile Simelane. With the scores tied, he sent the last ball of the match to the mid-wicket border, ensuring the winning streak.
HISTORY IN WINDHOEK
Namibia beat South Africa in their first match. A dreamy start in their new home#NAMvSA pic.twitter.com/RW8daWpeu8
— FanCode (@FanCode) October 11, 2025
This match was organized to officially open the Namibia Cricket Ground, which will be one of the venues for the 2027 Cricket World Cup, which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
“You can see what this means for the team and the crowd,” Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus said after leading his players on a victory lap in front of a packed crowd. “The men did this with great skill.”
A weakened South African team fielded missing several key players, including regular captain Aiden Markram, who is currently in Pakistan for a Test series that starts in Lahore on Sunday.
Although all South African players have international experience, they faced difficulties from the start against the Namibian team that qualified for next year’s T20 World Cup in India a week ago.
Quinton de Kock, who returned to international cricket after the 2024 T20 World Cup, was dismissed for just one run in the opening over and none of the South African batsmen managed to assert themselves against disciplined bowling on a slow pitch. South Africa, which won the toss, struggled to reach 134 for eight.
Reuben trumpelmannThe left-arm fast bowler, who started his cricket journey in South Africa, claimed three wickets for 28 runs while newcomer Max heingo He took two wickets in just three deliveries, leaving the visitors in a precarious position at 65 for five in the 11th over.
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