Namibia scripted a moment to remember in their cricketing history, stunning South Africa by four wickets in a last-ball thriller in Windhoek on Saturday. The win marked only the second time South Africa have lost a T20 International to an Associate nation, following their 2022 World Cup defeat to the Netherlands.
Trumpelmann Sets It Up With The Ball
Opting to bat first, South Africa found themselves on the back foot early, undone by Namibia’s disciplined attack led by left-arm seamer Ruben Trumpelmann, who struck in his opening over to remove Quinton de Kock cheaply. Regular breakthroughs kept the Proteas under pressure, as they slumped to 68 for 5 by the 11th over on a pitch that offered grip and uneven bounce.
We kept it simple — hit the right lengths and forced them into errors. Limiting them to 135 felt like a good effort on that wicket.
Jason Smith (31) provided some resistance down the order, while cameos from Bjorn Fortuin and Gerald Coetzee lifted South Africa to 134 for 8 in 20 overs.
Green And Trumpelmann Hold Their Nerve
In reply, Namibia lost early wickets but never panicked. Skipper Gerhard Erasmus (21) and JJ Smit steadied the chase before Zane Green and Trumpelmann combined to see their side home in dramatic fashion.
With 11 needed off the final over, Green swung momentum back with a six off the first ball from Andile Simelane. The bowler clawed back with four tight deliveries, but a low full toss off the last ball was whipped away for the winning boundary, sparking scenes of jubilation among the Windhoek crowd.
You could see what it meant for everyone — the crowd, the players, the whole country: Playing in front of our people and inspiring the next generation — that’s what it’s about. The boys showed real skill and belief.
Ferreira Admits Proteas Fell Short
South Africa captain Donovan Ferreira acknowledged that his side were outplayed. “Obviously not the result we wanted,” he said. “Credit to them — they played really well. We didn’t put up enough runs, and losing Coetzee early hurt us. But still, we should’ve done better with the bat.”
A Win To Remember
Namibia’s composed chase — anchored by Green’s unbeaten 30 off 23 balls and Trumpelmann’s all-round effort (3-28 and 11 not out) — marked one of the biggest moments in their cricketing journey. The packed home crowd roared as Namibia completed a famous win that will resonate far beyond Windhoek.
Brief Scores: South Africa 134/8 in 20 overs (Jason Smith 31, Rubin Hermann 23; Ruben Trumpelmann 3-23, Max Heingo 2-32) Namibia 138/6 in 20 overs (Zane Green 30*, Gerhard Erasmus 21; Nandre Burger 2-21, Andile Simelane 2-28) Result: Namibia won by four wickets.
