Splendid win boosts South Africa's tri-series final chances

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After a shock loss to Namibia in the tournament opener, South Africa picked themselves well in the second game, and continued their form into the third game, securing a 43-run victory over Zimbabwe.

Career-best performances from Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Bjorn Fortuin and Duan Jansen carried the day for South Africa.

The tri-series between the three ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 hosts takes an interesting turn with each of the remaining contests now crucial after the first four games in the series. South Africa have two wins from their three games, whereas Zimbabwe and Namibia have one win from their three and two matches respectively.

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The coin fell in South Africa’s favour, and Bjorn Fortuin elected to bat first at the Namibia Cricket Ground. After two middling starts in the tri-series, Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Jordan Hermann (28) got their side off to a perfect start, going at nearly 10 runs an over to reach 59 by the end of first Powerplay. However, pressure at the start of the middle overs got the better of Hermann who ended up falling to Wessly Madhevere while trying to up the scoring rate.

Pretorius kept up the scoring rate and reached his second half-century in 27 balls. Dewald Brevis, the star performer for South Africa this series, arrived and lifted the scoring rate with back-to-back no-look sixes against debutant Kundai Matigimu in the 12th over.

The duo continued at a brisk pace with Pretorius closing in on a maiden ton, but Brevis fell in the 16th over, missing out on his third consecutive half-century in the series. With the Proteas already past 150 at the start of this over, the Chevrons had to bowl at their very best to hold them under 200 runs.

Thereafter, wickets tumbled for South Africa as Wessly Madhevere (3/20) unleashed a career-best bowling performance, leaving the side with 174/5 at the end of the 18th over.

However, Pretorius kept unleashing ferocious shots from the other end, and raced into the nineties. But Brad Evans had other plans, and delivered a clever full slower ball at the end of the 19th over to dismantle Pretorius’ defense. The batter fell six short, having scored 15 boundaries including three sixes in his innings of 94. 

A brilliant final over from Newman Nyamhuri ensured that South Africa finished at 185/7. 

Having scored 195 in their win over Namibia on the same ground yesterday, Zimbabwe knew they had the capability to chase down the total.

Zimbabwe took Kwena Maphaka for 10 runs in his first over and looked well on track, but Prenelan Subrayen struck back with the wicket of Ben Curran (4) in the very next over. With Innocent Kaia in at No.3, Zimbabwe kept the runs flowing into the fourth over, when Bennett (13) fell to Fortuin after Pretorius took a stunning catch. Soon after the skipper struck yet again, accounting for Madhevere for a duck. The game took a turn in favour of the Proteas thereafter.

The South African bowlers kept up the pressure with Duan Jansen accounting for Kaia (18) in his first over, denting Zimbabwe further. At 43/4, the Chevrons needed a special effort to save the game.

But Duan rattled them further in the middle overs, picking two off two in his second over to bring South Africa closer to a significant run-rate boosting win.

With his side losing wickets at an alarming rate, Sikandar Raza (45) opened his arms and starting playing his shots freely. After he was outfoxed by Fortuin's clever bowling, the final pair of Kundai Matigimu and Newman Nyamhuri unleashed attacking strokes, but South Africa were well ahead and Zimbabwe were eventually bowled out in the 18th over.

Duan and Fortuin finished with career-best figures of 3/21 and 4/24 respectively.

The next game in the series will be played between tournament hosts Namibia and South Africa on 3 September in Windhoek.