South Africa Win Windhoek Tri-Series Final By 48 Runs

South Africa won the Windhoek tri-series final by 48 runs on Sunday. They made 205 for 5 after choosing to bat, then bowled Zimbabwe out for 157 in 18 overs at the Namibia National Cricket Ground. Jordan Hermann struck 53 from 24 balls. Bjorn Fortuin and Duan Jansen took three wickets each.

Namibia staged the tournament in full at one ground. The hosts beat South Africa in the opening fixture but missed the final. Zimbabwe qualified by beating Namibia twice, once by five runs and once by five wickets. South Africa had already beaten Zimbabwe by 43 runs in the group phase. They repeated the result with the title on the line.

Hermann's 24-ball fifty sets the tone

Hermann reached his fifty in 24 balls, the first he has made in T20 internationals. Dewald Brevis added 32 from 23. Brad Evans and Newman Nyamhuri each took two wickets for Zimbabwe, Evans finishing with 2 for 36 and Nyamhuri with 2 for 51. Neither slowed the rate for long.

South Africa played the final without Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Andile Simelane, both injured, according to CricTracker. Pretorius had made the century that carried South Africa past Namibia and into the final two days earlier. The batting order held up without him.

Four down inside five overs

Zimbabwe were chasing 206. Their reply came apart at the start. Ben Curran fell first ball to Eathan Bosch. CricTracker reported that Zimbabwe lost four wickets inside the first five overs, and the required rate climbed out of reach before the innings settled. Fortuin and Jansen then worked through the middle order.

• Bjorn Fortuin 3 for 24
• Duan Jansen 3 for 38
• Eathan Bosch 2 for 22
• Brad Evans 2 for 36 for Zimbabwe
• Newman Nyamhuri 2 for 51 for Zimbabwe

Evans and Matigimu delay the finish

Evans made 56 not out, also his first fifty in T20 internationals, and added 52 for the ninth wicket with Kundai Matigimu. The stand carried Zimbabwe past 150. It never brought the target within range. Zimbabwe were all out with two overs unused.

Seven matches, one ground in Windhoek

The tri-series ran from 28 August to 6 September. All seven fixtures were played at the Namibia National Cricket Ground. Zimbabwe finished as runners-up and Namibia third. The three sides involved are the three co-hosts of the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, and IANS described the tournament as a warm-up for it. Namibia ran the whole schedule off one square.

South Africa and Zimbabwe meet again shortly. A T20I series in Zimbabwe follows, and the ICC has reported that injury already forced one change to the South Africa squad named for that tour.