In what has become one of the most exciting rivalries in Associate Africa women’s cricket, the Capricorn Eagles and Uganda delivered yet another edge-of-the-seat contest at the High Performance Cricket Oval in Windhoek. Namibia held their nerve in a nail-biting final over to seal a thrilling 1-run victory and take a 3-2 lead in the six-match T20I series.
Having won the toss — a trend that has gone Namibia’s way throughout the series — the Eagles opted to bat first and posted a competitive total of 126/6 in 20 overs. The star of the innings was the young and rising talent Mekelaye Mwatile, who stole the show with her international half-century. Mwatile’s unbeaten 60 off 49 balls not only powered Namibia to a defendable score but also marked her career-best T20I performance. Her knock was a masterclass in composure and calculated aggression.
Uganda came into the chase with purpose, and for a large portion of the second innings, looked like they were in control. A crucial partnership between Iloku Esther (41 off 34) and captain Janet Mbabazi (44 off 35) had Uganda cruising. But the momentum shifted dramatically in the 12th over when Arrasta Diergaardt broke the partnership with the wicket of Iloku on her very first ball.
That breakthrough opened the floodgates. Namibia’s bowlers rallied, with Arrasta Diergaardt finishing with figures of 3/20 in 4 overs, and Mekelaye once again stepping up with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 24 runs in 3.5 overs.
As the game headed into the final two overs, the tension was palpable. With Uganda needing just 5 runs from the final 6 deliveries and two wickets in hand, captain Sune Wittmann made a bold call — handing the ball to the day’s hero, Mekelaye.
Uganda inched closer with singles on the first three deliveries. A wide followed, leaving them just 2 runs away from victory with three balls remaining. But Mekelaye wasn’t done. Showing nerves of steel, she picked up two wickets in two balls — sealing the match in style and finishing with the final word in a game she had dominated with both bat and ball.
The series now stands at 3-2 in favor of the Capricorn Eagles, with the final game set to take place on April 15 at 14:00 at the High Performance Cricket Oval.
Fans can watch the action live online via www.oneafrica.tv/t20i-womens-cricket.
Namibian outstanding players:
- Mekelaye Mwatile – 60* (49) & 3/24 (3.5 overs) – Player of the Match
- Arrasta Diergaardt – 3/20 (4 overs)
- Kayleen Green – 2 wickets in the 19th over
As the series comes down to the wire, the Capricorn Eagles are soaring high — and all eyes are on the final showdown.
Match Summary:
- Namibia: 126/6 (20 overs)
- Mekelaye Mwatile: 60* (49)
- Uganda: 125 all out (19.5 overs)
- Janet Mbabazi: 44 (35)
- Iloku Esther: 41 (34)
