Innocent Kaia struck a career-best 72 for Zimbabwe in a five-wicket victory over hosts Namibia in a Twenty20 tri-series match on Thursday.
Put in to bat in Windhoek, Namibia made 156-6, thanks mainly to an unbeaten 88 from captain Gerhard Erasmus.
Zimbabwe reached 159-5 with 11 balls remaining as they kept their hopes of making the final alive.
Player of the Match
— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) September 3, 2026
A career-best 72 off 42 balls, including 8 fours and 3 sixes
Innocent 'Trigger' Kaia#FNBT20TriSeries #NAMvZIM pic.twitter.com/9eYuy2My08
Kaia, batting at No.3, had fruitful partnerships of 61 with Brian Bennett and 54 with captain Sikandar Raza as Zimbabwe completed a double over Namibia after a five-run win on Monday.
Kaia struck three sixes and eight fours from 42 balls before his mistimed pull off a Jack Brassell delivery was caught by Erasmus at mid on.
"It is great contributing significantly to a victory. I planned to be aggressive and take on the Namibian bowlers. It paid off," player-of-the-match award winner Kaia told reporters.
Like Kaia, Erasmus struck three sixes and eight fours in his knock. His 83-run fourth-wicket stand with Alexander Busing-Volschenk (29) was the highlight of the innings.