Namibia stun South Africa in tri‑series opener

Namibia opened their home tri‑series in style, defeating South Africa by 18 runs in Windhoek to claim a memorable victory. It was only the second T20I meeting between the sides, and Namibia have now prevailed in both, a promising sign ahead of next year’s World Cup, which they will co‑host with South Africa and Zimbabwe. Batting first, Namibia reached 163/9 thanks to Jan Frylinck’s fluent 60 from 38 balls and an 84‑run opening stand with Louren Steenkamp.

South Africa’s chase faltered early as Jordan Hermann and Lhuan‑dre Pretorius fell inside the powerplay, leaving Dewald Brevis to mount a lone resistance with a powerful 75 off 50 deliveries. JJ Smit and Ruben Trumpelmann then closed out the match with three wickets each. Smit called the win “surreal,” while captain Gerhard Erasmus praised his team’s belief and consistency. Namibia now aim for a spot in the final, with South Africa facing Zimbabwe next.