NAM-W vs USA-W 2026: USA Win by 1 Wicket, First Victory of Series
Published on November 11, 2026
Summary Overview: USA Women beat Namibia Women by 1 wicket with one ball to spare in the Victoria Series 2026 at Entebbe for their first win of the series. Player of the Match Sainavi Kambalapalli took 3 for 14, with two maidens, as Namibia made 96 for 9, and Taranum Chopra's 17 not out saw the USA home with the last pair at the crease.
Who won? USA, by 1 wicket with one ball to spare at the Entebbe Cricket Oval, Uganda. Namibia made 96 for 9 in their 20 overs, and the USA reached 97 for 9 in 19.5 overs.
Who starred? Sainavi Kambalapalli took 3 for 14 from four overs, including two maidens, and was named Player of the Match. Taranum Chopra batted through the late drama for 17 not out, finishing the chase with the last batter, Lekha Shetty.
What about Namibia? Victoria Hamunyela took 3 for 13 from four overs, including a maiden, and Mekelaye Mwatile took 3 for 21. Namibia also ran out three USA batters, but they gave away 11 extras in a match decided by one wicket.
What does it mean? It is the USA's first win of the series, after four defeats. On Tuesday, they had lost to Rwanda by just 2 runs.
Match Report: The USA Finally Get Over the Line
For readers new to cricket: in a T20 match, each team bats for up to 20 overs (an over is six legal deliveries). A team wins by 1 wicket when it reaches the target with only its last batter left, the closest possible margin when chasing. Extras are runs given away by the bowling side, such as wides and no-balls, that are not scored off the bat.
Namibia's Innings: 96 for 9
USA captain Aditiba Chudasama won the toss and chose to bowl. Merczerly Gorases (2) was run out by Taranum Chopra and Jivana Aras, and Geetika Kodali had captain Sune Wittmann (2) caught by Lekha Shetty. Namibia were 18 for 2 in the fifth over and 30 for 2 after the six-over powerplay.
Kayleen Green made 23 off 28 before Shetty bowled her at 43 for 3. Then Sainavi Kambalapalli took control. She had Mekelaye Mwatile (20 off 20) stumped by Ella Claridge at 54 for 4, and Namibia managed just 8 runs in the next 26 balls. Kambalapalli then took two wickets in two balls in the 16th over, having Edelle van Zyl (7 off 20) caught by Kodali and bowling Jurriene Diergaardt first ball. Namibia were 62 for 6.
Taranum Chopra caught and bowled Wilka Mwatile (15), Naomi Benjamin was run out by Nikhar Doshi, and Chudasama had Victoria Hamunyela stumped by Claridge. Sylvia Shihepo hit two fours in 23 not out off 15 to lift Namibia to 96 for 9. Kambalapalli finished with 3 for 14 from four overs, including two maidens.
USA's Chase: Down to the Last Pair
The USA needed 97, and Namibia hit back hard. Victoria Hamunyela bowled Chetna Pagydyala (9) and had Isani Vaghela (2) caught by Mekelaye Mwatile, and Kambalapalli (4) was run out by Mekelaye and Gorases two balls later. The USA were 21 for 3 after the powerplay.
Ella Claridge (18 off 31) and Nikhar Doshi (19 off 25) rebuilt with 38 off 52 balls, but Claridge was run out by Jurriene Diergaardt and Gorases, and Mekelaye had Doshi caught two balls later. Mekelaye then bowled Ritu Priya Singh (9) and had Chudasama caught by Green, and Hamunyela bowled Aras. The USA were 79 for 8 in the 17th over.
Taranum Chopra stayed calm. She added 10 with Kodali, before Kodali was run out by Green and Wilka Mwatile at 89 for 9, leaving the USA needing 8 from 9 balls with one wicket left. Chopra and Lekha Shetty (1 not out) found the runs, and the USA won with one ball to spare. Chopra finished on 17 not out off 21.
Turning Point: Namibia's Last Nine Overs
At 54 for 3 after 11 overs, Namibia had a platform. Kambalapalli's stumping of Mekelaye Mwatile started a squeeze that brought just 8 runs in 26 balls, and her two wickets in two balls left Namibia 62 for 6. They added only 42 in the last nine overs, and in a game won by one wicket and one ball, every run counted.
Stat Corner
Top Performers
| Player | Team | Performance |
| Sainavi Kambalapalli | USA | 3 for 14 (4 overs, 2 maidens), and 4 (5), Player of the Match |
| Taranum Chopra | USA | 17* (21), and 1 for 15 (3 overs), plus a run-out |
| Ella Claridge (wk) | USA | Two stumpings, and 18 (31) |
| Aditiba Chudasama (c) | USA | 1 for 19 (4 overs) |
| Lekha Shetty | USA | 1 for 15 (3 overs), plus a catch, and 1* (2) |
| Nikhar Doshi | USA | 19 (25) |
| Victoria Hamunyela | Namibia | 3 for 13 (4 overs, 1 maiden) |
| Mekelaye Mwatile | Namibia | 3 for 21 (4 overs), plus a catch and a run-out |
| Kayleen Green | Namibia | 23 (28), 2 fours, plus a catch and a run-out |
| Sylvia Shihepo | Namibia | 23* (15), 2 fours |
| Merczerly Gorases (wk) | Namibia | Two run-outs |
* not out
How the Game Turned
| Moment | Score |
| Namibia's powerplay | 30 for 2 (6 overs) |
| Green bowled by Shetty | 43 for 3 (8.4 overs) |
| Kambalapalli's squeeze | 54 for 3 to 62 for 6 (15.4 overs) |
| Namibia total | 96 for 9 (20 overs) |
| USA's powerplay | 21 for 3 (6 overs) |
| Claridge and Doshi stand | 38 off 52 balls for the 4th wicket |
| Five wickets for 21 runs | 58 for 3 to 79 for 8 (16.4 overs) |
| Ninth wicket falls | 89 for 9 (18.3 overs), 8 needed from 9 balls |
| USA win | 97 for 9 (19.5 overs) |
Powerplay Comparison
| Team | First 6 overs |
| Namibia | 30 for 2 |
| USA | 21 for 3 |
Playing XIs
| Team | Playing XI |
| Namibia | Kayleen Green, Merczerly Gorases (wk), Sune Wittmann (c), Mekelaye Mwatile, Wilka Mwatile, Edelle van Zyl, Jurriene Diergaardt, Sylvia Shihepo, Naomi Benjamin, Victoria Hamunyela, Eveleen Kejarukua |
| USA | Chetna Pagydyala, Sainavi Kambalapalli, Isani Vaghela, Ella Claridge (wk), Nikhar Doshi, Aditiba Chudasama (c), Geetika Kodali, Jivana Aras, Lekha Shetty, Ritu Priya Singh, Taranum Chopra |
Changes: the USA brought in Lekha Shetty for Maahi Madhavan from their side against Rwanda in match 7.
Victoria Series 2026 Table
The table will be updated once the full results of match 6 (Uganda vs USA), match 8 (Namibia vs Uganda) and match 9 (Uganda vs Rwanda) are added. The USA have now played five games, with one win and four defeats.
What's Next
| Match | Date | Fixture | Uganda (EAT) | UK (GMT) | PKT | IST | ET |
| 11 | Thu, Nov 12 | Uganda vs USA | 9:30 AM | 6:30 AM | 11:30 AM | 12:00 PM | 1:30 AM |
| 12 | Thu, Nov 12 | Namibia vs Rwanda | 2:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:30 PM | 6:00 AM |
| Play-off | Sat, Nov 14 | 3rd vs 4th | 9:30 AM | 6:30 AM | 11:30 AM | 12:00 PM | 1:30 AM |
| Final | Sat, Nov 14 | 1st vs 2nd | 2:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:30 PM | 6:00 AM |
All matches at the Entebbe Cricket Oval. EAT is East Africa Time (UTC+3). ET is US Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5). Friday, November 13, is a rest day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Namibia Women vs USA Women?
- USA, by 1 wicket with one ball to spare.
Who was Player of the Match?
- Sainavi Kambalapalli, for 3 for 14.
Is this the USA's first win of the Victoria Series?
- Yes. They had lost their first four games.
How many run-outs were there?
- Five: Merczerly Gorases and Naomi Benjamin in Namibia's innings, and three in the USA's chase.
When do the USA play next?
- Thursday, November 12, against hosts Uganda at 9:30 AM local time (12:00 PM IST, 11:30 AM PKT).
Related Guides and Series Coverage
📋 Women's Victoria T20I Series 2026: Full Schedule, Match Times and Squads