South Africa Beat Zimbabwe by 48 Runs to Win Namibia T20I Tri-Series

South Africa completed a dominant tri-series campaign, beating Zimbabwe by 48 runs in the final at the Namibia Cricket Ground to lift the T20I Tri-Series trophy, their third win over Zimbabwe in eight days.

Batting first after being sent in, South Africa posted 205 for 5 behind a blistering 24-ball fifty from opener Jordan Hermann, who finished with 53 off 29 balls in an 84-run opening stand with Connor Esterhuizen (32). Dewald Brevis (32) and Rubin Hermann (27) kept the tempo up in the middle overs to push South Africa past 200, despite the side missing Lhuan-dre Pretorius through a groin niggle.

Zimbabwe's chase fell apart early, slipping to 61 for 7 before Brad Evans produced a defiant unbeaten 56 in a 52-run ninth-wicket stand with Kundai Matigimu that briefly threatened to make a match of it. But captain Bjorn Fortuin (3/24) and Duan Jansen (3/38) shared six wickets to bowl Zimbabwe out for 157 in 18 overs. Jansen finished as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 11 dismissals.

The tri-series served as a warm-up event for co-hosts South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia ahead of the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, with South Africa now moving on to a three-match bilateral ODI series against hosts Namibia, with Fortuin continuing as captain.