Namibia to Host South Africa and Zimbabwe for T20I Tri-Series Ahead of Africa T20 Cup Plans

Namibia will welcome South Africa and Zimbabwe for a T20I tri-series later this month, marking another step in the growing cricketing partnership between the three southern African nations ahead of the 2027 ICC Men's ODI World Cup, which they will co-host.

The seven-match T20I tournament will be played entirely at the Namibia Cricket Ground (NCG) in Windhoek, a modern two-ground facility inaugurated last year. Following the tri-series, South Africa will remain in Namibia for a three-match ODI series, the first-ever One-Day International contest between the two countries.

The tri-series is also being viewed as a precursor to the proposed Africa T20 Cup, a continental competition expected to launch from 2027, subject to approval in the next Future Tours Programme (FTP). The tournament aims to bring together leading African cricket nations in a format similar to the Asia Cup, with revenue from ticket sales and broadcasting rights intended to support cricket development across the continent through the Africa Cricket Association.

South Africa are expected to field a squad that blends experience with emerging talent, as the team manages player workloads during a packed international calendar. The Proteas are scheduled to play eight home Tests against Australia, Bangladesh, and England, along with nine ODIs and three T20Is before the SA20 league and a tour of Sri Lanka complete their current FTP cycle.

Despite the demanding schedule, Cricket South Africa (CSA) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of cricket in neighbouring countries.
"We are excited to be part of this white-ball tour, which not only further demonstrates our commitment to strengthening the game in our neighbouring countries, but also builds excitement ahead of next year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, which will be co-hosted by all three nations," CSA Chief Executive Pholetsi Moseki said.

The Namibia Cricket Ground has quickly established itself as a key international venue since opening in October last year. South Africa featured in the inaugural match at the stadium, where Namibia recorded a memorable victory in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

Since then, the venue has hosted the ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup, a World Cricket League Two tri-series involving Namibia, Oman, and Scotland, along with several men's and women's T20 internationals, highlighting Namibia's growing credentials as a host nation for the 2027 World Cup.

Cricket Namibia Chief Executive Johann Muller welcomed the participation of South Africa and Zimbabwe, describing the series as another milestone in strengthening cricket across Africa.
"We are immensely grateful to Cricket South Africa and Zimbabwe Cricket for their commitment to this series, which reflects the strong partnership and shared vision to grow cricket across the African continent. We encourage cricket fans from across Namibia to support the Eagles and enjoy world-class international cricket featuring three of Africa's leading cricketing nations."

The upcoming tour is expected to provide valuable international exposure for all three teams while building momentum for the launch of the Africa T20 Cup and the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.