ZIM vs SA Match 4 Commentary - Windhoek (01 September 2026)

A big swing and a miss! Floated up wide outside off, Newman Nyamhuri looks to wallop it away but only connects with thin air.

Quicker one, wide outside off and drifting in late. Nyamhuri leaves it alone.

Darted down leg, Nyamhuri goes for a reverse dab but misses and the ball goes past the keeper as well. It rolls down to deep third after deflecting off the keeper and the batters get two byes,

OUT! CAUGHT! Finally, the Proteas manage to close things out, and South Africa win by 43 runs. Bjorn Fortuin drags the length back, bowling it into the surface and around off. Newman Nyamhuri backs away a bit, lifting it high and down to long off. Eathan Bosch comes in from the deep and takes a good catch as Fortuin ends with a four-fer. Zimbabwe are bowled out for 142.

Good length, angled across off, Matigimu nudges it down to deep third and turns the strike over.

Back of a length, following the batter down leg. Nyamhuri looks to pull but miscues it badly towards the bowler.

Excellent running! Fuller one at the stumps, swung away off the inside edge and down to deep backward square leg for a couple of runs.

Full and angled into the batter. Newman Nyamhuri backs away a fair bit and jams it to mid off.

Slower one, bowled back of a length and around off. Nyamhuri swings at it and gets an outside edge down to deep third for a run.

Oh, a misfield and the extra run is taken. Full and straight, jammed down through mid-wicket. The on-rushing fielder fails to pick it up cleanly and concedes the second run.

SIX! Number 10 and 11 showing the top order how it's done! Fuller one at the stumps, Newman Nyamhuri sits down and flat-bats the slog sweep in front of deep mid-wicket for a maximum.

Shorter in length, floated outside off, this is sliced away over the point region for a couple of runs.

PUT DOWN! Can barely call it a catching chance, as it was hit really hard. Full and straight, Nyamhuri pummels it straight back to the bowler. Bjorn Fortuin gets both hands on it but it doesn't stick, and that will sting for a bit as well.

FOUR! Length ball around off, Nyamhuri brings out the reverse sweep now, hitting it high and down to the vacant backward point fence for a boundary.

Quicker one, fired well wide of the off stump. Nyamhuri leave it alone.

DROPPED! That should have been game, set and match. Flighted ball, Newman Nyamhuri swings across the line but gets more height than distance. The ball sails down to deep mid-wicket, where the fielder tries to reverse cup it but spills it. Two taken.

A low full toss on off, punched away down to long off for a single.

Tossed up outside off, turning back in. Matigimu pushes it out on the off side for a single.

Unlucky for the batter. Floated up on the stumps, Newman Nyamhuri steps out and drills it at a rate of knots. However, he hits it too straight and the ball smashes into the stumps at the other end, deflecting down to long on for two runs.

A full ball around off, Nyamhuri chips it down to long on for a single.

SIX! Wow, that's come out of nowhere! On a good length, turning into leg. Kundai Matigimu sits down and just lays into the slog sweep, hitting it high and over cow corner for a biggie.

Nagging length at the stumps, tucked away just into the leg side. The bowler is quick to cut it off.

SIX! That's been whacked away, and up comes the 100 for Zimbabwe. Too short and angled into the batter, Sikandar Raza uses the angle and hangs back before swinging it over deep square leg for a huge six.

OUT! STUMPED! Bjorn Fortuin gets immediate revenge on his opposite number. Fortuin holds this one back a touch and sees Sikandar Raza stepping down the track. Fortuin slows it up, bowling it flatter and well wide of the off stump. Raza loses his shape in trying to reach the ball and is well outside his crease when Connor Esterhuizen whips off the bails. 

Drifted into the pads, Matigumu swings across the line but gets an inside edge onto the pads.

Tossed up on middle and leg, this is swept away on the bounce to deep backward square leg for a single.

Nicely flighted, at the stumps, Nyamhuri swings across the line but gets an inside edge past leg stump and down to fine leg for a couple of runs.

Full and on the pads, clipped away past square leg for a run.

A wide yorker, landing it perfectly and just inside the tramline. Sikandar Raza fails to squeeze it away.

Hard length, angled wide of the off stump. Raza slashes it away between deep backward point and deep third, but for just a single.

A full toss on off, punched gently in front of mid off for a quick single.

Raza certainly doesn't agree with the umpire's call here. Slower one, very full and flirting with the tramline outside off. Raza lets it go and is perplexed that the umpire didn't call it a wide.

WIDE! This one is pretty clear-cut. Another slower yorker attempted by Maphaka, but this is spilled beyond the tramline.

WIDE! And again! Full and wide, pushed well beyond the tramline and Raza leaves it alone.

Pace off again, this time shorter and on leg. Raza nurdles it behind square leg and rotates strike.

A skiddy bumper over leg stump, Newman Nyamhuri does well to duck under it. 87 needed now off 42 balls.

Jansen comes around the wicket and jams in a straight yorker. Nyamhuri just about manages to tuck it away to the leg side and turns the strike over.

Length ball around off, Raza mishits it to the left of the cover fielder and gets across for a single.

Fractionally short and outside off, Nyamhuri hangs back to cut but is beaten past the outside edge.

Bowled from wider on the crease, a length ball and pushed into batter. Nyamhuri stays back and defends it out.

WIDE! Fuller and quicker, darted well down the leg side by Jansen.

Full and straight, Nyamhuri plays a wristy flick, getting it down to long leg for a single.

That's a good delivery to end, and Jansen finishes his spell with brilliant figures of 3/21 in 4 overs. A well-directed bumper, right t the face. Raza hops and up and manages to fend it to the leg side, pinching a single as well.

FOUR! Valiant effort in the deep, but it goes in vain. Fractionally short around off, Raza hangs back and forces the lofted shot over covers and finds the fence.

Flatter one, darted into the pads. Raza hops inside the line and fails to tuck it away.

FOUR! Fired in again, fuller and on middle and leg. Sikandar Raza smacks it hard and wide of Kwena Maphaka at deep mid-wicket for another boundary.

SIX! Wow, that's literally gone out of the ground and Sikandar Raza is letting loose. Tossed up, full and on middle, Raza clears the front leg and tonks it straight back over the bowler's head for a biggie. 14 off the over already, and thankfully, we have got the ball back as well.

FOUR! Raza is just swinging for the fence now, and Peter is bearing the brunt. Tossed up again, wide outside off, but full again. Raza hammers it flat and well to the left of deep extra cover for yet another boundary.

FOUR! Ouch! That's a bit unlucky for the bowler, and 22 runs come off the over. Better length from Peter, flighting it around off, but not all that full. Raza goes after it and gets an outside edge fine of the short third fielder as the ball rolls away into the fence.

FOUR! Nearly another one for Jansen. Full and wide, landing it in the blockhole. Masakadza looks to jam it out but squeezes it off the inside edge and down to fine leg for a boundary.

Should have been a single. Back of a length and around off, dabbed away down to the right of backward point.

Similar line and length to the last ball, and this time Masakadza hangs back to glide it down to deep third for a single.

OUT! MASAKADZA IS RUN OUT! Great awareness from Jordan Hermann and Zimbabwe have thrown away another wicket. A snorter of a short ball from Jansen, right at the batter. Sikandar Raza hops up and fends it to the left of backward point and Wessly Madhevere is already halfway down the pitch. Hermann picks it up and takes a second, throwing it back to the bowler and Jansen whips off the bails with Masakadza nowhere in sight.

Hard length, pushed across off, Raza has a feel for it but the ball zips past the off stump.

On the pads, flicked away down to deep square leg for a single. Zimbabwe are 67/8 after 10 overs.

OUT! TAKEN! Oh, that's a lucky wicket off the very first delivery for Nqabayomzi Peter, and he won't mind that at all. Peter starts with a half-tracker around off. Brad Evans rocks back and can't resists the temptation to go after it. However, he pulls it flat and wide of deep mid-wicket, where Kwena Maphaka runs around and hops up a bit to pouch it around the waist. Good catch in the deep and Evans has to walk back as well.

FOUR! Fuller one drifted down the leg side, Wellington Masakadza sits down and sweeps it to the left of the diving short fine leg fielder for a boundary.

Beaten! Nicely tossed up, full and around off. Masakadza looks to swing through the line but is beaten in the flight.

Floated up on middle and leg, tucked away in front of mid-wicket for a single.

A tad shorter and outside off, punched away square through the off side for a run by Raza.

Dragged length, turning into the pads. Masakadza pushes back and works it around the corner on the leg side for one more.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! That is a sensational reflex catch from Duan Jansen, and Ryan Burl simply cannot believe it. Jansen pitches the ball on a fullish length and outside off, slower too. Burl backs away and looks to hit it straight, but gets it more off the toe end of the blade. It is still hit hard, but Jansen just sticks out a left hand in the follow-through and takes it without a fuss. Zimbabwe have now lost half their side.

OUT! LBW! A huge appeal, and it's been given. Duan Jansen is delighted with that, and he's now on a hat-trick. Jansen keeps it on a good length, darting the ball in off the deck. Tadiwanashe Marumani gets pegged back and looks to flick but is beaten for pace and takes a blow on the front pad. Marumani goes for a golden duck and Zimbabwe are in a spot of real bother at 51/6.

No hat-trick! Full and on leg, trying to attack the pads, but Evans manages to flick it away through square leg for a run.

A quick bumper, over the leg pole and Raza just hops inside the line of the ball, letting it go.

Good length around off, Raza comes forward and pushes it to cover, picking up a quick run.

Short ball over middle and leg, Evans plays a good-looking pull shot, hitting it flat and on the bounce to deep mid-wicket for just another single.

Oh, confusion out in the middle and Zimbabwe are lucky to escape here. Back of a length and outside off, Raza hangs back and dabs it to the left of backward point. Burl sets off for a single but Rubin Hermann makes a fine stop and quickly throws it to the keeper's end, which is the wrong end. Burl scampers back and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who is backing up has a shy at the bowler's end but just misses and Burl makes it back.

Good fielding in the deep. Back of a length over middle, swung away hard and flat towards deep mid-wicket. The ball bounces really high off the outfield and Prenelan Subrayen does well to leap up and palm it in. Two taken.

Very full, almost yorker-length, and outside off. Raza looks to loft it away but misses.

FOUR! A full toss now, wide outside off, Sikandar Raza goes after it again, throwing his hands at it, and slices it down to deep third for a boundary.

Slightly shorter and straighter, hit away through square leg for a single. The 50 is up for Zimbabwe.

Just back of a length, angling across off, Burl nudges it wide of short third and scampers across for a quick single.

Kaia loves that pick-up shot, but the pitch is slowing down and he isn't able to find the timing at the moment. Length ball on the pads, heaved high and over the square leg region, against the wind. The ball lands safely and Kaia picks up a brace.

Full and wide outside off, squeezed away off the outside half of the blade and behind point for a single.

Short of a good length, angled across off, Sikandar Raza slaps it over wide mid off. The ball plugs a bit and the fielder manages to chase after it from the infield and save the boundary. Two taken.

WIDE! Dug in short and just down leg, Raza looks to get inside the line and help it over short fine but misses.

Length ball at the stumps, Raza swings hard across the line and loses his shape again, smothering it wide of mid on for a single.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Duan Jansen sends Innocent Kaia packing, and Zimbabwe lose their fourth now, that too inside the Powerplay. Jansen goes full and quick, landing it around the off stump line. Kaia reaches forward to flick but the ball swings in late and beats the bat, sneaking past the inside edge to clatter into the off pole. Kaia's bright start comes to an end.

A dot to end, and Zimbabwe are 43/4 after the Powerplay. Full and outside off, swinging away. Burl reaches out and drives it to cover. 143 more needed off 84 balls.

Short of a length, angled into the body, tucked away neatly off the hips and through backward square leg for a couple of runs.

Bosch hits a hard length and bowls it around off. Kaia taps it down to mid off. He also calls for a change of willow. Not sure what the issue was with the previous one.

A skiddy short ball, angled into the batter. Kaia pulls it aerially down to deep square leg and collects a single.

A complete miscue by Raza. Good length, over the top of middle, Raza loses his shape as he swipes across the line and ends up hitting it towards mid on.

That's a good change-up from Bosch. Slower one, wide outside off and into the pitch. Raza leaves it alone but the ball nips in and ends up well inside the wide guideline.

Tidy stuff from Bosch. Back of a length and around off, jammed down towards mid off.

OUT! CAUGHT! The Protea skipper strikes on the first ball and that's a fine catch from Lhuan-dre Pretorius. Bjorn Fortuin starts with a quicker one, bowling it into the pitch and darting it towards middle and leg. Brian Bennett rocks back to pull but gets a leading it over short third. Pretorius runs back and extends the right hand to take a one-handed stunner.

Quicker again, fired in at the batter. Wessly Madhevere hops back and jams it out.

OUT! CAUGHT! That's a brain fade moment from Wessly Madhevere and Zimbabwe are 3 down for 33 already. Bjorn Fortuin gives this one a bit more air, floating it on middle and leg. Madhevere skips down the pitch to loft it over mid on but gets barely any elevation on it. Eathan Bosch takes a straightforward catch at mid on and the Protea skipper has his second wicket.

Drifted into the pads, Raza half-sweeps it down to square leg.

Floated up on off, Raza pushes this one out to mid off.

A beauty to end the over, and it's a double wicket-maiden for Bjorn Fortuin. Quicker one around off, not all that full and this one straightens sharply off the deck. Sikandar Raza is beaten past the outside edge.

DROPPED! Rubin Hermann has made a real mess of that one. Maphaka hits a good length, bowling it around middle and leg. Innocent Kaia looks to pick it up over the leg side but miscues it high towards cover. Rubin calls early but never really gets under the swirling ball and lunges late to take it, spilling it down. Single taken.

Pitched full and around off, Bennett jams the drive out to mid off.

Length ball on the stumps, tucked away to the right of mid on for a quick single. Good running.

Back of a length, cutting it across the off stump. Kaia leans back to pull, but ends up jaming it down in front of mid on.

FOUR! Similar length to the last one but a lot straighter, on the bodyline. Innocent Kaia whips it off the ribs and flicks it down to long leg for a one-bounce boundary.

SIX! That's poor from Kwena. Dug in shorter again and around leg, Kaia is waiting for it and hoicks it up and over the fine leg fence for a biggie.

SIX! Stylish and effective as well. Just drifted into the stumps, Brian Bennett lunges across and sits down, sweeping it flat and hard over deep backward square leg for a biggie.

Dragged length, slower too, worked away from the crease to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Looped up, getting it over the batter's eyeline. This is slower and lands on middle, and Curran drives it straight to short extra cover.

WIDE! Fuller and drifted just down leg. Curran looks to shovel it fine but misses. The ball goes off the keeper's glove and rolls down to deep third as the batters pick up a couple of extra runs.

Bowled flatter this time, punched out into the off side.

OUT! CAUGHT! That's a soft dismissal and the Proteas strike early with the ball. Fuller one, pushed through slower and on the pads. Ben Curran moves inside the line to sweep but gets more of a top edge and hits it straight to short fine. Lhuan-dre Pretorius takes a simple catch over there and Prenelan Subrayen gets his man.

Nice and full, at the stumps. Kaia drives it wide of mid on for a single.

WIDE! Good clicks on the ball, but ill-directed by Maphaka. Length ball, swings down the leg side as well. Zimbabwe's chase is underway with an extra.

Much better from Kwena this time. Good-length delivery, pitches on middle and darts back in. Bennett pushes it back to the bowler.

FOUR! Now, that's a shot! Length again, straighter in line, Brian Bennett drives it on the up, drilling it straight back past the bowler for a boundary down to long on.

Maphaka shortens the length, angling it across off. Bennett stays low and slashes it down to deep third for a single.

Pitched fuller, shaping it into the pads. Ben Curran plays a checked drive, punching it straight to the mid on fielder.

FOUR! Quick hands from Curran. Just short of a good length, attacking the stumps. Curran has a hoick across the line and smears it off the inside half of the blade in front of square leg for a boundary.

Curran backs away early and gets the short and wide one. There to be put away but Curran fails to connect. Zimbabwe are 10/0 after the first over.