The Capricorn Eagles series came to a dramatic close with a nail-biting final game that had fans on the edge of their seats right up to the last ball on Tuesday. In what has been arguably the most entertaining showcase of international women’s cricket on Namibian soil, Uganda beat the Capricorn Eagles by six wickets in a heart-stopping finish – leveling the series 3-3 and resulting in both captains sharing the trophy.

After winning the toss, Uganda opted to bowl first at the HP Cricket Oval, sending the Eagles in to set a target. Namibia responded with a competitive total of 139/4 in their 20 overs, riding on a solid start from openers Suné Wittmann and Kayleen Green. Green was in fine form, anchoring the innings with a well-played 48 off 61 balls, falling just two runs short of a deserved half-century.

Middle-order contributions came in strong, with Yasmeen Khan scoring 35 off 33, and Mekelaye Mwatile finishing the innings with fireworks, hammering 21 not out off just 7 deliveries, pushing the home team to a total that looked defendable. Namibia struck early in the second innings with Wilka Mwatile taking a wicket in the very first over, setting the tone. But Uganda’s Iloku Esther once again proved to be a thorn in the side of the Eagles, scoring a fluent 36 off 26 balls. She was well supported by Musamali Ritah (40 off 46) and Nampiina Stephanie (39 off 30), who kept the chase alive together.

The match reached fever pitch in the final overs. With 16 runs needed off the last two overs, Namibia brought back their key bowlers. Mekelaye conceded 4 runs in the 19th over despite a wide, leaving Uganda needing 12 runs off the final six balls.

Arrasta Diergaardt, who earlier took two key wickets in the sixth over, was handed the ball for the final over. What followed was confusion in the middle, as Uganda managed to squeeze in 12 runs, including a daring three runs off the final ball to snatch the victory from Namibia and tie the series.

Namibian captain Suné Wittmann expressed pride in her team’s performance throughout the Capricorn Eagles Series, highlighting the growth and composure of young talents like Mekelaye Mwatile, who impressed with both bat and ball, and Kayleen Green, whose consistent batting made her one of the standout performers.

Capricorn Eagles series awards:

Bowler of the tournament: Aweko Consy – 6 wickets for 92 runs

Batter of the tournament: Iloku Esther – 147 runs

Player of the tournament: Wilka Mwatile – 102 runs and 6 wickets for 111 runs