In the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of T20 International (T20I) cricket, surprises are frequent. But what transpired on March 12, 2025, during a tri-nation T20I series in Namibia, has left fans and statisticians stunned. For the first time in T20I history, a match recorded 8 completed innings — and one of them yielded zero runs.
Yes, you read that correctly. Team Kenya, in their second innings against Namibia A, was bowled out for 0 runs, creating one of the most bizarre statistical oddities in the shortest format of the game.
🔁 The Match Format: A Practice Double-Innings Experiment
As part of an ICC-sanctioned experimental format for associate nations, Namibia, Kenya, and Uganda agreed to trial a two-innings-per-side T20 format — similar to The Hundred’s “split innings” idea but adapted for T20I.
- Each team played two innings of 10 overs each.
- Total scores across both innings were aggregated.
- The format was meant to give batters a second opportunity and simulate pressure scenarios.
While the concept was welcomed as a fun innovation, nobody expected the chaos that unfolded.
🏏 The Match Breakdown – March 12, 2025
Venue: United Cricket Ground, Windhoek, Namibia
Teams: Namibia A vs Kenya
Format: Split-innings (10 overs x 2 per side)
1st Innings:
- Namibia A: 72/5 (10 overs)
- Kenya: 55/7 (10 overs)
2nd Innings:
- Namibia A: 68/3 (10 overs) → Total: 140/8
- Kenya: 0 all out (8 wickets in 11 balls) → Total: 55/15
😱 Kenya’s 0 All Out: How Did It Happen?
Kenya’s second innings began under overcast skies, chasing 86 in 10 overs for victory. What followed was sheer mayhem:
- Ball 1: Bowled – Off stump knocked out.
- Ball 2: LBW – Gone for a golden duck.
- Ball 3: Run-out – Miscommunication between batters.
- Ball 4–11: 5 bowled, 2 caught at slip, 1 stumped.
Extras: 0
Boundary count: 0
Dot balls: 11 (match ended in under 2 overs)
Namibian bowler Ruben Trumpelmann was on fire, claiming 4 wickets for 0 runs in just 6 deliveries. The rest were shared among Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton and Tangeni Lungameni.
📉 Records Shattered
Kenya’s second innings now holds several unwanted records:
- Lowest innings total in T20I (men’s or women’s): 0
- Most ducks in a T20I innings: 8
- Shortest completed innings: 1.5 overs
- No runs by batters or extras: First instance in any ICC-recognized match
Cricket statisticians confirmed that this was the first-ever zero total in an official T20I, albeit in an experimental format.
🤯 Global Reaction: Bewilderment and Laughter
Cricket fans were quick to flood social media with memes and disbelief. Many questioned whether the pitch was legal, while others wondered if Kenya had fielded a weakened side.
The ICC later confirmed the match as official but acknowledged the extraordinary nature of the outcome. They also clarified that the format was under review and primarily intended to give match exposure to emerging players.
Kenya’s cricket board has since announced a review of coaching and batting strategies, citing the collapse as “a wake-up call for structural improvement.”
💬 Expert Take
Former Zimbabwean cricketer and commentator Andy Flower remarked:
“This was cricket’s version of a black hole — you couldn’t script something more bizarre. But it reminds us how unpredictable this game can be, especially in newer formats.”
🚨 Final Thoughts
Cricket has seen collapses, hat-tricks, and super overs. But Kenya’s zero-run innings in a two-innings T20I is something nobody saw coming. Whether it’s remembered as a farce or a rare freak event, one thing is certain — March 12, 2025, will go down in cricket history as a day when nothing happened — literally — but everything changed.
With cricket constantly innovating formats, moments like these spark debate and offer a dose of humility to even the most seasoned professionals.
