Namibia T20I Tri 2026, NAM vs SA 6th Match Match Report, September 04, 2026

South Africa 228 for 4 (Pretorius 101, Esterhuizen 88, Balt 2-31) beat Namibia 217 for 3 (Frylinck 72, Steenkamp 61, Mokoena 2-43) by 11 runs

Within the final match of the tri-series, Namibia fell 11 runs quick in a high-scoring thriller which had a match combination of 445 runs. The outcome means Namibia will miss out on the ultimate which will likely be performed between South Africa and Zimbabwe on Sunday.

Nonetheless, the hosts can maintain their heads excessive for the cricket they’ve performed over the past week, which has included beating South Africa, a last-ball defeat towards Zimbabwe, and a last-over loss of their closing sport, the place they confronted an enormous goal. Put in to bat, South Africa posted their fifth-highest T20I total of 228 for 4 on the again of a 156-run opening stand between Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Connor Esterhuizen. Pretorius went on to file his first T20I hundred and the second of his worldwide profession, after a Take a look at ton in Zimbabwe.

South Africa had been in sight of 250, however as has been the case all through the collection, they fell away barely on the finish, and it virtually appeared like they might remorse that. Requested to finish their highest profitable chase in T20Is, Namibia gave it every little thing they’d. Jan Frylinck and Louren Steenkamp placed on 119 for the primary wicket, however the momentum they created couldn’t be sustained. That neither Zane Inexperienced nor Alex Busing-Volschenk batted might also have been the distinction – particularly when Steenkamp retired damage – however finally, South Africa’s younger quicks held their nerve to safe the win.

Esterhuizen relishes probability on the prime

Esterhuizen, who emerged on the worldwide scene when he was the top run-scorer in South Africa’s T20I collection towards New Zealand in March, has not had a lot alternative to construct on that on this collection till he was promoted up the order for this match.

After utilizing the opening over to have a sighter, Esterhuizen took on the fast Ruben Trumpelmann virtually instantly, and pulled a brief ball over wonderful leg for six. Within the subsequent over, he charged at left-arm seamer JJ Smit for six extra, after which took back-to-back sixes off Jack Brassell.

By the top of the powerplay, Esterhuizen had hit 5 sixes, and was on 40 off 21 balls. For comparability, Pretorius had 23 runs off 15 deliveries, and never one six on the identical stage. Esterhuizen wasn’t carried out there both. He took 24 runs off Brassell’s second over, the ninth of the innings, to deliver up his fifty off 26 balls, in a sequence that learn: 6, 4, 4, 6, 4, 0.

Pretorius finishes the job

Three days again, Pretorius missed out on a primary T20I century when he was on 94 with an over to go towards Zimbabwe. However he made up for that towards Namibia. At the beginning of the twentieth over, Pretorius, on 89, hit Gerhard Erasmus into the parking zone to maneuver to 95. It was clear that he wished his hundred the subsequent ball when he tried one other huge heave however did not join.

That, although, did not cease him from making an attempt once more. Pretorius slog-swept the third ball of that over, and it sailed over the boundary for six extra for him to deliver up his century. Pretorius had barely completed celebrating when Erasmus delivered a yorker, and Pretorius couldn’t get his bat down in time to maintain it out. He was bowled with two balls left within the innings, however with a milestone to his identify.

Frylinck fires up Namibia’s begin

Given the magnitude of their activity, Namibia had no selection however to throw every little thing they’d on the South African bowlers – and the opening pair did precisely that. Steenkamp and Frylinck confirmed off their pictures as they obtained Namibia off to a fast begin, and their confidence grew as they stored discovering boundaries. The largest of them got here when Andile Simelane, who was introduced into the squad instead of the injured Lutho Sipamla, went for a brief ball, and was dispatched for back-to-back sixes by Frylinck. That helped Namibia finish the powerplay on 67 with out loss.

These had been the primary two of Frylinck’s 5 sixes in what was a blinding show of courageous hitting. Frylinck introduced up fifty with a six of legspinner Nqaba Peter off the twenty eighth ball he confronted, despatched South Africa’s stand-in captain Bjorn Fortuin out of the bottom, and when Simelane was introduced again, hit him onto the stadium roof.

Simelane had the ultimate phrase when Frylinck tried to drag him over midwicket however did not get as a lot on it as he hoped, and was caught by substitute fielder Tony de Zorzi on the rope.

South Africa squeeze on the finish

Namibia stored themselves within the hunt all through the chase, and it was a case of mere moments the place South Africa inched forward. The primary got here when Eathan Bosch hit Steenkamp on the arm within the sixteenth over, and two balls later, Steenkamp retired damage on 61. That introduced JJ Smit to the crease, and he managed a four-ball 9 earlier than holing out to the fielder at sweeper cowl to present South Africa a second slight benefit.

Kwena Maphaka’s closing over, the nineteenth, price 13 runs, which left Namibia needing 24 to win off the ultimate over. Nqobani Mokoena, in his fifth T20I, held his nerve on the finish with an apparent plan to bowl vast yorkers. Two of them had been too vast, and one was a full toss, however he didn’t concede a boundary within the closing over and obtained a wicket off the final ball to present South Africa a tense win.

Firdose Moonda is Cricinfo’s senior correspondent for Africa and girls’s cricket

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