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3rd ODI | Namibia vs South Africa Series | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek | 13 September 2026
Nothing about the scoreline is in doubt anymore; South Africa sealed this series two matches ago. What’s still up for grabs in Windhoek is whether Namibia can find anything to build on before their World Cup qualifying push resumes next month. A dead rubber for the tourists is a proving ground for the hosts, especially with the same venue set to host World Cup matches in 2027. Erasmus and Trumpelmann need form, not just pride, heading into a crucial October tri-series in the USA.
South Africa’s 335 for 9 was built on Connor Esterhuizen’s maiden ODI century, 119 off 110 balls, alongside 79 from Tony de Zorzi and 37 from Dewald Brevis. Namibia never got close to the chase, bowled out for 178 in 41.5 overs.
Duan Jansen did the early damage with 4 for 31, and Eathan Bosch chipped in with three more as Namibia’s middle order folded. Gerhard Erasmus top-scored with 68, but one score of substance in a chase this size was never going to be enough. A 157-run margin, coming after a 99-run DLS defeat in the opener, told its own story. South Africa have now won this series with a game still to play.
There’s no series left to decide, but that doesn’t make Sunday’s match irrelevant. Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek hosts the finale at 9:30 am local time, a venue already confirmed for World Cup fixtures next year.
For the hosts, this is about pride and a chance to avoid a series sweep at home. For the tourists, it’s a low-stakes hit-out before their qualifying campaign resumes. Neither team has ever met the other in an ODI before this month, so even a dead rubber adds to a very short history between the two.
South Africa don’t need a single point from this series; they’re through automatically as co-hosts of the 2027 World Cup. Namibia carry no such guarantee despite sharing hosting duties; their route runs through the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League Two instead.
Namibia currently sit fifth in that table with 28 points from 32 matches, three points adrift of fourth-placed Oman with two tri-series remaining in October and December. Scotland lead the way on 45, ahead of the USA on 43 and the Netherlands on 38.
Finishing in the top four sends a side straight into the Qualifier. Drop outside it, and Namibia face the tougher Qualifier Play-off route instead, with far less margin for error. It’s a reminder of how far Namibia have come, playing their first bilateral series against a Full Member nation with real qualification stakes on the line.
Strip away the scoreline, and this series has quietly produced some real individual battles.
| Player | Team | Recent Form | Key Stat |
| Jordan Hermann | South Africa | 170 runs in 2 ODIs | Debut century, avg 85.00 |
| Gerhard Erasmus | Namibia | 86 runs in 2 ODIs | Only Namibia batter past 26 |
| Duan Jansen | South Africa | 5 wickets in 2 ODIs | Avg 8.50 in the series |
| Ruben Trumpelmann | Namibia | 6 wickets in 2 ODIs | Namibia’s leading wicket-taker |
Hermann’s ton in the opener and Erasmus’s consistency across both games are the clearest individual stories South Africa and Namibia will carry forward, regardless of what Sunday’s dead rubber produces. Malan Kruger’s 34 in the opener and Jack Brassell’s four-wicket haul in the second match show Namibia haven’t been without moments, just not enough of them together.
Every number in this head-to-head column belongs to South Africa right now. Two matches, two wins, and a series record that reads 2 and 0 before a ball is even bowled on Sunday.
| Category | Namibia | South Africa |
| Series Score | 0 to 2, trailing | 2 to 0, series won |
| Head-to-Head This Series | 0 wins, 2 losses | 2 wins, 0 losses |
| Top Run-Scorer | Erasmus, 86 runs | Hermann, 170 runs |
| Top Wicket-Taker | Trumpelmann, 6 wickets | Jansen, 5 wickets |
There’s no historical rivalry to lean on either; this is the first bilateral ODI series the two countries have ever played. Whatever happens on Sunday becomes the baseline for every Namibia vs South Africa ODI series decider 2026 comparison that follows, and right now that baseline belongs entirely to the tourists.
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What is the score in the South Africa vs Namibia series?
South Africa lead 2 to 0 and have already sealed the series. Sunday’s third match in Windhoek is a dead rubber with nothing left to decide.
Who won the second ODI between the two sides?
South Africa won by 157 runs, their biggest margin of the series. Connor Esterhuizen’s maiden century and Duan Jansen’s four wickets for 31 runs did the real damage.
Is Namibia still part of the old World Cup Super League?
No, that pathway no longer exists for the 2027 cycle. Namibia now competes in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League Two instead, sitting fifth in the table.
Where is the third ODI between Namibia and South Africa being played?
It’s being played at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek. The venue is already confirmed to host several matches at the 2027 World Cup.
What time does the third ODI in Windhoek actually start?
The match starts at 9:30 am local time (CAT) on Sunday, September 13. That’s 7:30 am GMT and 1:00 pm IST, giving fans in India an afternoon start.
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