Historic upset! Namibia pull off incredible win against cricket giants South Africa in their first-ever T20I clash

A stunning display of late hitting by wicketkeeper Zane Green propelled Namibia to an unexpected victory over South Africa in a one-off Twenty20 international on Saturday. Green, who remained unbeaten on 30, contributed 23 of the 26 runs scored by Namibia in the final two overs of this historic match between the neighboring African nations.

Needing 11 runs off the last over, Green struck the first delivery from Andile Simelane for six. With the scores tied, he sent the final ball of the match to the midwicket boundary, securing the winning runs.

HISTORY IN WINDHOEK 

Namibia beat South Africa in their first-ever meeting. A dream start at their new home ground#NAMvSA pic.twitter.com/RW8daWpeu8

— FanCode (@FanCode) October 11, 2025

This match was organized to officially open the Namibia Cricket Ground, which is set to be one of the venues for the 2027 Cricket World Cup, co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

“You can see what it means, for the team and the crowd,” said Namibian captain Gerhard Erasmus after leading his players on a victory lap in front of a capacity crowd. “The guys did it with good skill.”

A weakened South African squad took the field, missing several key players, including their regular captain Aiden Markram, who is currently in Pakistan for a Test series set to commence in Lahore on Sunday.

Despite all South African players having international experience, they faced difficulties right from the outset against a Namibian side that had just qualified for next year's T20 World Cup in India a week prior.

Quinton de Kock, making his return to international cricket following 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 the disciplined bowling on a sluggish pitch. After winning the toss, South Africa struggled to reach 134 for eight.

Ruben Trumpelmann, a left-arm fast bowler who began his cricketing journey in South Africa, claimed three wickets for 28 runs, while newcomer Max Heingo took two wickets in just three deliveries, leaving the visitors in a precarious position at 65 for five by the 11th over.

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