Windhoek, 12 October (H.S.): In a breathtaking cricketing moment, Namibia stunned South Africa by four wickets in a last-ball thriller at the newly inaugurated Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek on Saturday. Playing their first international match on home soil, Namibia restricted South Africa to 134 for eight before chasing down the target with a dramatic victory off the final ball, marking a historic maiden win against the ICC full member side.

The Namibian bowlers, led by left-arm pacer Ruben Trumpelmann’s impressive figures of 3 for 28, kept the Proteas under pressure throughout their 20 overs. South Africa’s innings saw early wickets fall, leaving them at 68 for 5 despite efforts from Jason Smith, who top-scored with 31 runs.

Namibia’s bowling unit ensured the opposition never gained a strong foothold, with max support from teammates.Namibia’s chase was a rollercoaster, with their top order collapsing to 66 for four.

The team's veteran wicketkeeper-batter Zane Edward Green, playing his 72nd T20I, played a crucial unbeaten innings of 30 runs off 23 balls. Alongside Trumpelmann, who contributed an important 11 runs off 8 balls in the climax, Green guided Namibia to a tense but triumphant 138 for 6 at the last ball, triggering celebrations both on the field and in the stands.

Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus expressed immense joy at this new dawn and new age for the sport in the country, reflecting on the significance of playing and winning an international match on home turf. This win is a landmark achievement as Namibia had never before played South Africa in any format, reaffirming their growth as an emerging cricketing nation.

This victory also underlines the rising competitiveness of associate members in international cricket and comes at a time when South Africa fielded a second-string side with their main team engaged in a Test series in Pakistan. Nevertheless, the win remains a historic milestone for Namibia cricket and a testament to their increasing stature on the global stage.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar