After consecutive defeats in the first two matches, Namibia fought back and kept their hopes alive in the T20 series with a thrilling three-wicket victory over the South Africa Women’s Academy squad in the third T20 at the High-Performance Oval in Windhoek. The home side’s win narrowed the series deficit to 2-1, with one match remaining.
Coming into the final match of the T20 series trailing 2-1, Namibia had a lot to prove and were eager to showcase the progress they have made after putting in the hard yards over the past couple of years.
The hosts won the toss, and South Africa Women’s Academy squad was put into bat. The decision to bowl soon became fruitful for Namibia. South African openers Jenna Evans and Simoné Lourens gave the team a solid start, adding 37 runs in the first five overs. However, Namibia’s off-spinner, Mekelaye Mwatile, struck twice in the sixth over, removing Simoné Lourens for 13 and new batter Eliz-Mari Marx for a duck within the space of three deliveries.
Medium-fast bowler Sylvia Shihepo piled on the pressure by dismissing Kayla Reyneke for 1 in the very next over, reducing the visitors to 44 for 3 by the end of the seventh. Opener Evans tried to stabilise the innings by forming a brief 20-run partnership with Delmi Tucker. But her dismissal for 33 to Wilka Mwatile left the visitors at 60 for 4 at the halfway stage of the innings.
Shihepo struck again in quick succession, trapping Oluhle Siyo for a duck and Delmi Tucker leg-before for 10 in the same over. Captain Jones’ 6-run innings and Luyanda Nzuza’s 10-run innings offered some resistance, but Namibia’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure. The South Africans were held to 77 for 6 by the 14th over, before four wickets fell in as many overs, ending the innings at 89 all out in 16.3 overs.
Mekelaye Mwatile claimed the key scalps of Jones and Caitlyn Wyngaard (6), while Saima Tuhadeleni (1/22) and Wilka Mwatile each took a wicket to support the attack. Mekelaye Mwatile was the pick of the bowlers, finishing the innings with an impressive four-wicket haul.
In reply, Namibia’s opening pair, skipper Suné Wittmann and Kayleen Green, made their intentions clear, racing to 19 without loss in two overs. Their momentum was halted in the fourth over when right-arm medium pacer Leah Jones dismissed Green for 16, leaving the score at 22 for 1.
Wittmann then partnered with the in-form Yasmeen Khan, who took control of the run chase. Their 35-run partnership for the second wicket helped shift the momentum away from the visitors in the low-scoring encounter. Needing just 33 runs from the final 12 overs to level the series, Khan stayed aggressive despite the loss of Wittmann, who was dismissed for 16 by Wyngaard.
Khan struck six boundaries across three overs on her way to a well-earned half-century. Although Jones claimed her second wicket by dismissing Edelle van Zyl for 1, Khan remained steadfast and guided her team to a seven-wicket victory, securing a 2-2 draw in the T20 series.
Drawing the series after trailing 2-0 is a huge achievement for Namibia, the Capricorn Eagles. It shows their resilience and improvement, boosting their confidence and signalling that they can compete strongly against tough opposition. It also highlights their progress and growing strength in international women’s cricket.
Following the thrilling T20 series, the two teams will now turn their attention to three 50-over matches. The first One-Dayer is scheduled for Tuesday, 8 July, at the High-Performance Oval in Windhoek.
