South Africa vs Zimbabwe 2nd Match of the Namibia T20I Tri-Series 2026, an eight-day tournament being staged entirely at the newly built Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek. This tri-series is a big deal for African cricket — Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe are the three co-hosts of the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, and this tournament is being used as a dress rehearsal for stadium operations ahead of that global event. It is also being seen as the foundation event for a proposed Africa T20 Cup from 2027 onward.
Quick Match Snapshot
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | South Africa vs Zimbabwe, 2nd Match |
| Series | Namibia T20I Tri-Series 2026 |
| Date | Saturday, 29 August 2026 |
| Time | 2:00 PM local Windhoek time (12:00 PM GMT / approx. 5:30 PM IST) |
| Venue | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| Format | Twenty20 International (T20I) |
| Teams involved in series | Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe |
| Status | Scheduled — match yet to be played |
Note: Because Windhoek runs 3.5 hours behind Indian Standard Time, the local 2:00 PM start converts to roughly 5:30 PM IST for viewers in India — which is why some listings show the later time.
Where Is the Match Being Played? (Venue Details)
The entire Namibia T20I Tri-Series 2026, including this South Africa vs Zimbabwe fixture, is being hosted at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek, a two-ground facility that opened in 2025 and is being developed as one of Namibia’s key venues for the 2027 World Cup. Every single match of the seven-game tri-series — all group games plus the final — is scheduled at this one venue, so there is no travel factor for any of the three teams during this tournament.
Also read:- India Tour of Sri Lanka 2026
Full Namibia T20I Tri-Series 2026 Schedule
| Match No. | Date | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Match | Friday, 28 August 2026 | Namibia vs South Africa | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 2nd Match | Saturday, 29 August 2026 | South Africa vs Zimbabwe | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 3rd Match | Monday, 31 August 2026 | Zimbabwe vs Namibia | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 4th Match | Tuesday, 1 September 2026 | Zimbabwe vs South Africa | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 5th Match | Thursday, 3 September 2026 | Namibia vs Zimbabwe | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| 6th Match | Friday, 4 September 2026 | Namibia vs South Africa | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
| Final | Sunday, 6 September 2026 | Top two teams | Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek |
Each side plays the other twice in the round-robin phase, and the two best-performing teams meet in the final on 6 September. South Africa stay on in Namibia after the tri-series to play a three-match ODI series against the hosts from 9–13 September 2026.
What Happened in the Previous Match?
As things stand today (this preview is being written on 21 August 2026), the tri-series has not started yet — the opening match, Namibia vs South Africa, is scheduled for 28 August, a day before this South Africa vs Zimbabwe fixture. So there is no “previous match” result to report from within this series yet; the 2nd Match will effectively be South Africa’s second game of the tournament and Zimbabwe’s tournament opener.
For context on recent head-to-head form in the region:
- The last time South Africa played a T20I in Namibia (October 2025), the hosts pulled off a shock win, with Namibia’s bowlers restricting a young Proteas side in a low-scoring thriller.
- Zimbabwe and Namibia last met in September 2025, when Zimbabwe won a three-match T20I series 2-1, with Brian Bennett named Player of the Series.
- Zimbabwe’s most recent T20I assignment was a series against India, where Sikandar Raza continued to lead the side.
Squads for the Namibia T20I Tri-Series 2026
South Africa Squad
South Africa have gone with a young, largely second-string T20I squad for this tour, led by spinner Bjorn Fortuin, as the senior group is being rested ahead of a heavy home season against Australia, Bangladesh and England.
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Captain | Bjorn Fortuin |
| Squad | Eathan Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen, Jordan Hermann, Rubin Hermann, Duan Jansen, Kwena Maphaka, Nqobani Mokoena, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dré Pretorius, Lutho Sipamla, Jason Smith, Prenelan Subrayen |
All-rounders Duan Jansen and Eathan Bosch have both received maiden call-ups to the senior T20I set-up for this tour.
Zimbabwe Squad
Zimbabwe’s T20I side continues to be captained by all-rounder Sikandar Raza, who has led the Chevrons through their recent home and away white-ball assignments, including series against South Africa, India and Bangladesh. Key names who have been regular fixtures in the Zimbabwe T20I set-up through 2025-26 and are expected to feature in this tri-series include Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wessly Madhevere, Ryan Burl, Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava. Zimbabwe Cricket typically confirms the final touring squad closer to the series start, so fans should check the official Zimbabwe Cricket channels a day or two before the match for the confirmed 15-man group.
Playing XI
Neither side’s Playing XI for the South Africa vs Zimbabwe 2nd Match has been announced yet, since squad and toss news is usually confirmed only on match day. The final XI, toss result and pitch report will be updated closer to 29 August 2026.
About the Tri-Series
- Format: Round-robin T20I tri-series followed by a final between the top two sides
- Significance: First major joint fixture between the three co-hosts of the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, and viewed as the launch event for a future Africa T20 Cup
- Total matches: 7 (6 group games + 1 final)
- Host broadcaster: Regional and international broadcast/streaming details are being confirmed by Cricket Namibia closer to the tournament
Q1. Where will the South Africa vs Zimbabwe 2nd Match be played? At the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek — the same venue used for every match of this tri-series.
Q2. What date and time is the South Africa vs Zimbabwe match? Saturday, 29 August 2026, starting at 2:00 PM local time in Windhoek.
Q3. Who captains South Africa and Zimbabwe in this series? Bjorn Fortuin captains South Africa’s T20I squad for this tour, while Sikandar Raza continues as Zimbabwe’s T20I captain.
Q4. Who won the previous match in the series? The series only begins on 28 August with Namibia vs South Africa, so as of now no match in this tri-series has been completed.
Q5. Where can I check the Namibia T20I Tri-Series 2026 points table and live score? Live scores, ball-by-ball updates and the points table are updated on major cricket score platforms once the tournament begins on 28 August.
