In a tense, low-scoring contest at the Terdthai Cricket Ground in Bangkok on 21 November 2025, Namibia Women held their nerve to defeat Uganda Women by 12 runs in the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy. It was a match defined by discipline, pressure, and sharp bowling, with both sides battling hard on a surface that offered little for batters.
Namibia batted first and posted a modest 83 for 8 in their 20 overs. It was a scrappy innings where every run mattered. The top order struggled early, but Kayleen Green’s patient 21 kept the innings steady. Yasmeen Khan added a valuable 19, working the gaps and rotating strike at crucial moments. The most important contribution came from Naomi Benjamin, who stayed unbeaten on 18 off 17 balls. Her calm presence in the final overs ensured Namibia had something defendable on a pitch where timing the ball cleanly was a challenge.
Uganda’s bowlers were consistently effective throughout the innings. Sarah Akiteng delivered a superb spell, taking 2 for 10 with tight lines that forced Namibia to manufacture shots. Immaculate Nakisuuyi struck twice as well, using her variations cleverly, while Malisa Ariokot chipped in with 2 for 12. Their combined pressure prevented Namibia from ever getting away, restricting boundaries and forcing a series of conservative rebuilds.
Still, Namibia showed resilience. Their total wasn’t impressive on paper, but it reflected their ability to scrap for runs under difficult conditions. And as things unfolded later, those gritty contributions proved decisive.
Uganda’s chase began promisingly enough. They reached 49 for 1 and appeared to be cruising, controlling the pace of the innings with sensible batting. But the match flipped sharply when Leigh-Marie Visser came into the attack. Producing the spell of the match, she removed key middle-order batters and finished with remarkable figures of 3 for 10 in her four overs. Her ability to hit disciplined lengths repeatedly strangled Uganda’s scoring and triggered a collapse at the worst possible moment for them.
From a position of comfort, Uganda suddenly found themselves stalled. Dot-ball pressure mounted, boundaries dried up, and Namibia’s fielders backed the bowlers with sharp work inside the ring. Uganda’s innings lost coherence under the squeeze, and the required rate began creeping up even in the low chase. By the time they reached the final overs, they had fallen too far behind. Uganda eventually finished on 71 for 7, well short despite wickets in hand.
Extras also hurt Uganda in the broader context of the game. In such a tight match, even small lapses can tilt the balance, and Namibia extracted maximum value from every extra run gifted to them.
The win gives Namibia two crucial points and strengthens their standing in the group stage. For Uganda, the loss exposes their vulnerability under mounting scoreboard pressure, despite having the stronger bowling display for much of the game. Visser’s performance stands out as one of the tournament’s emerging highlights — a young bowler delivering a match-winning spell when her team needed it most.
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