'We do belong here': Namibia skipper after South Africa triumph
What's the story
In a stunning display of cricketing prowess, Namibia have beaten South Africa for the second time in a row. The match took place in Windhoek on Saturday, with JJ Smit being named Player of the Match for his impressive bowling performance. He took three wickets while giving away 31 runs, helping Namibia defend their total against South Africa.
Summary
How did the game pan out?
Batting first, hosts Namibia managed 163/9 in 20 overs. Jan Frylinck shone with 60 runs from 38 balls.
In response, the Proteas unit was reduced to 19/2, 39/3 and 86/5, respectively.
Dewald Brevis smashed 75 for the Proteas, but his effort went in vain. South Africa managed 145/9 in 20 overs.
Match highlights
JJ Smit's bowling brilliance helps Namibia defend total
Smit's contribution was crucial in securing the historic win for Namibia.
"It feels surreal," Smit said upon receving the Player-of-the-Match award.
This victory comes nearly a year after Namibia's first-ever T20I win over South Africa in October 2025.
Captain Gerhard Erasmus expressed his pride in the team's achievement, saying it shows they belong and aren't just a one-off team.
Consistency focus
'This is very important,' says Erasmus on historic win
Erasmus stressed that Namibia's recent wins aren't flukes but a testament to their ability to compete with top teams.
He said, "This is very important in the sense that it shows we do belong, and it wasn't a once-off."
The captain also highlighted their previous victories over teams like Netherlands, Ireland, and Scotland, further proving Namibia's growing stature in international cricket.
Bowling brilliance
Erasmus praises bowling attack as Namibia script history
Namibia's bowling attack was instrumental in the team's historic win.
Youngsters Jack Brassell and Max Heingo gave a tough time to more experienced batters, while Ruben Trumpelmann proved his world-class status with impressive figures of 3/24.
This performance comes after his Player-of-the-Match display last year when he took 3/28 against South Africa.
Erasmus praised his team, saying, "We are a tough team to beat when everyone performs their specific role."
Meanwhile, Namibia's next match is against Zimbabwe on Monday.