Namibia wicketkeeper Zane Green smashed a boundary off the final delivery to secure a stunning win over South Africa in their maiden T20I clash against the Proteas. The 29-year-old’s match-winning shot sent the crowd and his teammates into wild celebrations at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek on Saturday, October 11.
Chasing a modest target of 135 in 20 overs, Namibia faced early setbacks despite a brisk start, slipping to 51/3 inside seven overs. Skipper Gerhard Erasmus steadied the chase with a composed 21 off 21 balls, while JJ Smit (13) and Malan Kruger (18) chipped in with valuable runs. The equation boiled down to 11 needed from the final over with six wickets still intact.
Facing Andile Simelane, Green launched a six on the first ball and followed it up by collecting four runs from the next three deliveries. Although Simelane nailed a yorker for a dot on the fifth ball, he faltered with a low full toss on the last, which Green dispatched over deep mid-wicket to seal a dramatic victory.
You can watch the video here:
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
Ruben Trumpelmann was named Player of the Match after claiming three wickets and contributing an unbeaten eight off six balls with the bat.
Ruben Trumpelmann Shines As South Africa Struggle For Momentum
Namibia, an associate nation, faced the Proteas for the first time ever in a T20I encounter. South Africa’s skipper Donovan Fereira won the toss and chose to bat. Quinton de Kock, returning to international cricket after the T20 World Cup 2024 final, had a forgettable outing as he was dismissed for a single-digit score.
Among the top-order batters, only Rubin Hermann managed to score at a strike rate above 120, highlighting South Africa’s struggle to build momentum. Jason Smith top-scored with 31 off 30 balls, as the Proteas could only post 134/8.
Left-arm pacer Ruben Trumpelmann delivered an impressive spell, finishing with figures of 3/28 in four overs. Max Heingo chipped in with two wickets, while Erasmus, JJ Smit, and Tangeni Shikongo picked up one wicket apiece.
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