Namibia took the series decider at home and beat Ireland 3-2, a statement win for African cricket against a established Full Member side.
Namibia have shown that African cricket is on the rise. They beat Ireland in the series decider in Windhoek to take the one-day international series 3-2, and the home fans had plenty to celebrate.
The five-match contest went all the way to the final game, and Namibia held their nerve when it mattered most. Beating a Full Member nation over a full series, rather than in a one-off upset, is the kind of result that shows how far the Namibian side has come.
Ireland captain Lorcan Tucker took the defeat on the chin and said his squad would come away having "learned a lot" from the tour. That is a notable acknowledgement from a side with plenty of international experience, and it reflects the challenge Namibia posed on home soil.
For Namibian cricket, the series win adds to a growing sense that the country belongs among the competitive teams in the international game. For African cricket as a whole, it is another reminder that the continent's talent pool is deepening, and that the rest of the world will have to take notice.
