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Namibia pulled off a stunning victory over South Africa in a one-off Twenty20 international on Saturday, powered by a late flourish from wicketkeeper Zane Green.
Green, unbeaten on 30, scored 23 of Namibia’s final 26 runs in the closing two overs to secure the win in the first international clash between the neighbouring African nations.
With 11 runs needed off the final over, Green launched the first ball from Andile Simelane for six and struck the last delivery to the midwicket boundary to seal a memorable triumph.
The match also marked the inauguration of the Namibia Cricket Ground, one of the venues set to host the 2027 Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Namibian captain Gerhard Erasmus praised his team’s performance after leading a victory lap in front of a packed crowd.
“You can see what it means, for the team and the crowd. The guys did it with good skill,” he said.
South Africa fielded a below-strength side, with several key players, including regular captain Aiden Markram, in Pakistan for a Test series beginning on Sunday in Lahore.
Despite all players having international experience, they struggled against a Namibian side that had just qualified for next year’s T20 World Cup in India. Stand-in captain Donovan Ferreira admitted: “We weren’t good enough.”
South Africa’s innings was further hampered when fast bowler Gerald Coetzee was forced off the field with a chest injury after bowling just nine balls.
Quinton de Kock, returning to international cricket for the first time since the 2024 T20 World Cup, was dismissed for a single in the first over, and the team never managed to dominate Namibia’s disciplined bowling on a slow pitch, finishing on 134 for eight.
Namibia’s left-arm pacer Ruben Trumpelmann, who began his career in South Africa, took three wickets for 28 runs, while debutant Max Heingo claimed two wickets in three balls to reduce South Africa to 65 for five in the 11th over, setting up one of the biggest T20 shocks in recent African cricket history.
