Superb In The Field: On a day when she didn't perform with the bat, Namibia captain Sune Wittmann held onto some good catches and made some bold game-changing decisions. PHOTO/COURTESY
Namibia edged Uganda Women by a solitary run in a dramatic fifth match of the ongoing Capricorn Eagles Series at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek this evening. The thrilling victory saw the hosts take a 3–2 lead in the six-match T20I series, setting up a winner-takes-all finale tomorrow.
Having won the toss for the third consecutive time, Namibia opted to bat first but found themselves under early pressure. Uganda’s disciplined bowling attack struck swiftly, removing Kayleen Green for a duck and Suné Wittmann for 10. By the end of the powerplay, Namibia were struggling at 19/3 and had only crawled to 35/4 at the 10-over mark.
However, a composed innings from Mekelaye Mwatile turned the tide for the hosts. Her unbeaten 60 off 49 balls was the backbone of Namibia’s revival. Thanks to her efforts, Namibia added 91 runs in the final 10 overs, finishing at a competitive 126/6.
Series debutant opener Shakira Saddick and Esther Iloku, Uganda got off to a promising start despite Saddick falling early. Iloku (41) and Janet Mbabazi (44) steered Uganda to 73/1 at the halfway point, keeping the chase well within reach.However, Namibia’s bowlers held their nerve during the death overs as Uganda pushed the panic button. Namibia claimed two late wickets to bowl them out for 125 with one ball remaining.
Speaking after the match, Victoria Pearls captain Janet Mbabazi said;
“It’s disappointing to lose by such a small margin, but I’m proud of how our top order stepped up—especially Iloku in the powerplay. We’ll regroup and stay positive for the final match.”
Coach Deus Muhumuza added:
“I feel sad that we lost by one run, but also encouraged. We had fewer dot balls (49) and more singles (45) today - key areas we’ve been working on. If we maintain this trend tomorrow, I believe we can level the series.”
MATCH FIVE SUMMARY
Namibia: 126/6 in 20 overs
Uganda: 125/10 in 19.5 overs
Namibia won by 1 run
(Capricorn Eagles Lead series 3-2)
LAST FIXTURE – Game Six - Tuesday, April 15, 2025
3PM EAT Namibia vs. Uganda
High Performance Oval, Windhoek
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