Khan, Mwatile help Namibia secure T20 series draw with Emerging Academy

Mekelaye Mwatile.

A superb half-century from Yasmeen Khan, backed up by Mekelaye Mwatile’s impressive four-wicket haul, guided Namibia to a seven-wicket victory over the CSA Women’s Emerging Academy on Sunday at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek, concluding the four-match T20 series 2-2.

Mwatile returned figures of 4/19 as the hosts bowled out the visitors for 89 runs. Khan led the reply with an unbeaten 54* off 36 balls, hitting 10 fours and one six, to ensure the chase was completed with 33 balls to spare.

Having lost the toss, the Emerging Academy were put in to bat. Openers Jenna Evans (33) and Simoné Lourens (13) made a promising start, putting on 37 runs in the first five overs before Mwatile struck twice in three balls in the sixth over to dismiss Lourens and new batter Eliz-Mari Marx (0).

Sylvia Shihepo (3/15) added further pressure in the very next over, bowling Kayla Reyneke (1) to reduce the visitors to 44/3 by the end of the seventh.

Evans tried to stabilise the innings, forming a brief 20-run stand with Delmi Tucker (10) but her dismissal to Wilka Mwatile (2/10) left the score on 60/4 halfway through the innings. Shihepo struck again in quick succession, trapping both Oluhle Siyo (0) and Tucker LBW in the same over.

Captain Leah Jones (6) and Luyanda Nzuza (10) momentarily resisted but Namibia’s bowlers maintained the pressure. The South Africans were kept at bay on 77/6 by the 14th over before four wickets in four overs ended the innings on 89 all out in 16.3 overs. Mekelaye Mwatile removed both Jones and Caitlyn Wyngaard (6), while Saima Tuhadeleni (1/22) and Wilka Mwatile chipped in with a wicket apiece.

In reply, Namibia’s opening pair, skipper Suné Wittmann (16) and Kayleen Green (16), made their intentions clear, racing to 19/0 in two overs. Their momentum was halted by Jones (2/13), who dismissed Green in the fourth over with the score 22/1.

Wittmann then teamed up with the in-form Khan, who took control of the run chase, beginning with the duo’s 35-run partnership for the second wicket, taking the game away from the visitors in the low-scoring encounter.

Needing just 33 more runs in the final 12 overs to level the series, Khan stayed aggressive even after the loss of Wittmann off the bowling of Wyngaard (1/29). She struck six boundaries across three overs on her way to her half-century.

Although Jones claimed her second wicket by dismissing Edelle van Zyl (1), Khan stayed firm and took her team home for a seven-wicket win, securing a 2-2 draw in the T20 series.

Following the exciting T20s, the two teams will shift focus to three 50-over matches. The first One-Dayer is scheduled for Tuesday at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek at 10am SAST.

Yasmeen Khan.

CSA Women’s Emerging Academy Squad - Tour to Namibia

Alexandra Candler (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Jenna Evans (DP World Lions), Nicole de Klerk (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Gandhi Jafta (Fidelity Titans), Leah Jones (World Sports Betting Western Province), Mona-Lisa Legodi (Fidelity Titans), Simoné Lourens (Fidelity Titans). Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans), Luyanda Nzuza (Fidelity Titans), Kgomotso Rapoo (DP World Lions), Verunissa Reddy (Knights), Kayla Reyneke (World Sports Betting Western Province), Oluhle Siyo (World Sports Betting Western Province), Delmi Tucker (World Sports Betting Western Province) and Caitlyn Wyngaard (World Sports Betting Western Province).

Fixtures

T20 Series

Wednesday @ 2pm SAST

First T20: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek) - SA won by 33 runs

Thursday @ 2pm SAST

Second T20: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek) - SA won by six wickets

Saturday @ 2pm SAST

Third T20: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek) - Namibia won by three wickets

Sunday @ 2pm SAST

4th T20: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek) - Namibia won by seven wickets

50-over Series

Tuesday @ 10am SAST

First 50-over: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)

Thursday @ 10am SAST

Second 50-over: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)

Saturday @ 10am SAST

Third 50-over: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)

Jenna Evans and Kayla Reyneke.