Image: Frylinck and Trumpelmann's blitz powered Namibia to a strong 204 / © OneCricket
The Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo hosted a pulsating T20I showdown between Namibia and Zimbabwe, a match that had fans glued to every ball. Namibia won the toss and chose to bat first, aiming to put runs on the board on a pitch known for favoring stroke-makers. Namibia’s innings was powered by Jan Frylinck’s explosive knock and a late surge from Ruben Trumpelmann, while JJ Smit’s heroics with the ball clinched a memorable victory.
Namibia’s batting effort kicked off with openers Jan Frylinck and Louren Steenkamp striding out to face Zimbabwe’s bowlers. The Bulawayo pitch, flat and true, invited aggressive play, and Namibia’s openers were ready to seize the moment. Frylinck, a known power-hitter, tore into the attack from the first over, launching boundaries and sixes with fearless abandon. His bat swung like a sledgehammer, sending the ball soaring over the ropes and racing to the fence. Steenkamp, more measured but effective, played the perfect foil, rotating the strike and picking gaps with precision. Together, they built a blazing 74-run stand for the first wicket in just 4.6 overs, setting the crowd buzzing with excitement.
Steenkamp’s contribution was a steady 14 runs off 14 balls, including a crisp four, but his stay ended when Tinotenda Maposa found the edge, and Tadiwanashe Marumani took a sharp catch behind the stumps. At 74 for 1, Namibia was in a commanding position, but the loss of Steenkamp brought captain Gerhard Erasmus to the crease. Frylinck, unfazed, kept up his relentless assault. No bowler was spared as spinners were lofted over the infield, and pacers were dispatched to all corners. His dominance was absolute, and the Zimbabwean attack looked rattled.
Frylinck’s innings was pure fireworks, a breathtaking 77 runs off just 31 balls at a strike rate of 248.38. With eight fours and six towering sixes, he turned the game into his personal stage, hammering the ball with precision and power. For 37 minutes, he was untouchable, treating the crowd to a display of raw aggression. His rampage ended in the 8.3rd over when Sikandar Raza, Zimbabwe’s wily captain, lured him into a false shot, and Brendan Taylor held on to a crucial catch. At 102 for 2, Namibia had a solid base, but the middle order needed to keep the momentum going.
Gerhard Erasmus, expected to steer the ship, struggled to find his groove. His 14 runs off 22 balls, without a single boundary, felt labored on a pitch begging for big shots. In the 12.5th over, Raza struck again, inducing an edge that Maposa gobbled up, leaving Namibia at 124 for 3. The pressure mounted as Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton came and went in a flash, scoring just 1 run off 2 balls before Raza bowled him in the 8.6th over. At 103 for 3, Namibia was wobbling slightly. JJ Smit, a dependable middle-order bat, walked in but barely had time to settle. A brilliant piece of fielding by Tashinga Musekiwa saw him run out for 1 run off 1 ball in the 9.4th over, leaving Namibia at 107 for 4.
With wickets tumbling, Namibia needed someone to steady the ship. Zane Green rose to the occasion, crafting a composed 17 runs off 14 balls, including a four, to keep the scoreboard ticking. His stay ended in the 14.6th over when Trevor Gwandu took a catch off Wellington Masakadza’s bowling, with the score at 144 for 6. The stage was set for a late charge, and Ruben Trumpelmann delivered in style. His 46 runs off 24 balls, studded with three fours and four sixes, was a game-changer. Swinging hard and connecting cleanly, he punished Zimbabwe’s bowlers in the death overs, ensuring Namibia stayed on course for a big total. His entertaining knock ended in the 19.3rd over, bowled by Blessing Muzarabani, with the score at 197 for 7.
Alexander Busing-Volschenk, unbeaten on 20 runs off 11 balls, including two sixes, provided the final flourish. Jan-Izak de Villiers, not out on 1 run off 2 balls, played a minor role as Namibia closed at 204 for 7 in their 20 overs, posting a run rate of 10.20. Extras added 13 runs to the total, 10 wides, two leg byes, and one no-ball. Sikandar Raza was Zimbabwe’s standout bowler, snaring 3 wickets for 25 runs in his four overs at an economy of 6.25. Tinotenda Maposa, Wellington Masakadza, and Blessing Muzarabani each took one wicket, conceding 39, 28, and 48 runs, respectively. Sean Williams and Trevor Gwandu were expensive, leaking 25 and 37 runs without a wicket.
Namibia’s innings was a tale of two ends, Frylinck’s blazing start and Trumpelmann’s late heroics. The middle overs saw Zimbabwe’s spinners, particularly Raza, claw back some control, but sharp fielding, including a run-out and key catches, couldn’t stop Namibia from posting a daunting 204. The stage was set for a thrilling chase.
Zimbabwe’s pursuit of 205 required them to go at over 10 runs per over, a steep challenge even on a batsman-friendly pitch. Openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani came out swinging. Marumani lit up the first over, smashing a four and a six to race to 10 runs off just 3 balls. But his fireworks were short-lived as Gerhard Erasmus struck in the 0.4th over, with Bernard Scholtz taking a catch to send him back. Bennett followed in the 1.4th over, managing just 2 runs off 4 balls before Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton caught him off Scholtz’s bowling. At 15 for 2, Zimbabwe’s chase was already in trouble.
Brendan Taylor, the veteran wicketkeeper, couldn’t stop the slide, scoring 6 runs off 8 balls before JJ Smit bowled him in the 3.3rd over. Sikandar Raza, the captain, walked in at No. 5 but lasted only 8 balls, scoring 8 runs with a four before Trumpelmann caught him off Smit’s bowling in the 5.5th over. At 44 for 4, Zimbabwe was staring down the barrel. Enter Sean Williams, who became the heartbeat of the chase. His 77 runs off 45 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes, was a masterclass in controlled aggression. Striking at 171.11, he kept Zimbabwe’s hopes alive, finding boundaries with ease and anchoring the innings.
Williams found a partner in Ryan Burl, who chipped in with a vital 32 runs off 24 balls, including three fours and one six. Their 65-run stand for the fifth wicket, built over 48 balls, gave Zimbabwe a fighting chance. But Erasmus broke the partnership in the 13.2nd over, catching and bowling Burl to leave Zimbabwe at 109 for 5. Tashinga Musekiwa added 13 runs off 11 balls with a four but fell to a catch by substitute MB Kruger off Trumpelmann in the 16.5th over. Tinotenda Maposa’s quick 6 runs off 4 balls ended with Zane Green catching him off Smit in the 17.3rd over. Wellington Masakadza scored 3 runs off 3 balls before Busing-Volschenk caught him off Trumpelmann in the 18.1st over.
The turning point came when Williams, Zimbabwe’s last hope, was trapped lbw by Smit in the 17.6th over for 77, with the score at 162 for 8. Blessing Muzarabani managed 6 runs off 5 balls before Ben Shikongo had him lbw in the 19.5th over. Trevor Gwandu, unbeaten on 8 runs off 5 balls with a four, couldn’t pull off a miracle. Zimbabwe finished at 176 all out in 19.5 overs, 29 runs short at a run rate of 8.87. Extras added 5 runs with three wides, one leg bye, and one no-ball.
Namibia’s bowling was led by JJ Smit’s sensational 4 for 29 in four overs. Ruben Trumpelmann and Gerhard Erasmus chipped in with two wickets each, conceding 39 runs apiece, while Bernard Scholtz and Ben Shikongo took one wicket each for 6 and 35 runs. Jan-Izak de Villiers went for 27 runs without a wicket.
Jan Frylinck’s blistering 77 off 31 balls was the TCNI Magic Moment of the Game. His jaw-dropping strike rate of 248.38, fueled by eight fours and six massive sixes, set Queens Sports Club alight. For 37 minutes, he toyed with Zimbabwe’s bowlers, smashing them to all parts in a display of pure power.
His 74-run opening stand with Louren Steenkamp (14) gave Namibia a flying start, and though Raza’s catch by Taylor in the 8.3rd over ended his onslaught, Frylinck’s knock laid the foundation for Namibia’s 204 for 7. Supported by Trumpelmann’s 46 and Busing-Volschenk’s unbeaten 20, his fearless batting defined the game’s intensity.
JJ Smit was the TCNI Hero of the Day, delivering a match-defining bowling performance. Defending 205, Smit’s 4 wickets for 29 runs in four overs, at an economy of 7.25, broke Zimbabwe’s back.
He dismissed Taylor (6) and Raza (8) early, then removed Maposa (6) and the dangerous Williams (77), ensuring Zimbabwe crumbled to 176. His tight lines and cool head under pressure were pivotal in Namibia’s 29-run win. With support from Erasmus and Trumpelmann, Smit’s spell was a masterclass, earning him the spotlight in this thrilling T20I.