Few rivalries in Associate cricket have delivered as many nail-biting finishes as the one between Oman and Namibia – and this complete Oman national cricket team vs Namibia national cricket team timeline traces every twist, from a 2012 Sharjah opener to a 2026 Super Over-style thriller in Windhoek.
As of mid-2026, Namibia leads the overall head-to-head with 13 wins from 22 meetings; Oman has claimed 7, and 2 matches ended without a result – a gap that has narrowed sharply since 2022 as Oman’s chasing game has matured into one of the most reliable in Associate cricket.
Understanding the Oman vs Namibia Cricket Rivalry
This section answers the most searched question directly: who has historically dominated the Oman national cricket team vs Namibia national cricket team timeline, and why does the margin keep shrinking?
Namibia’s early ODI status advantage and deeper batting resources gave them a head start after their emergence on the world stage around 2019. Oman, working with a leaner but increasingly disciplined bowling unit, has spent the last four years closing that gap through tighter, lower-scoring victories rather than blowout wins. The result is a fixture that now swings on execution in the final ten overs almost every single time the two sides meet.
Why the Rivalry Carries Real Weight
Both nations sit inside the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, a direct qualification pathway toward the 50-over World Cup, which means every Oman vs Namibia ODI since 2024 has carried genuine tournament stakes rather than being a routine bilateral fixture. This context matters enormously when reading the Oman national cricket team vs Namibia national cricket team timeline – a result in 2026 can shift qualification math just as much as a result from four years earlier shaped rankings.
The Early Years: Foundations of the Rivalry (2012-2015)
The Oman-Namibia rivalry began at the 2012 T20 World Cup Qualifier in Sharjah, where Namibia won comfortably, before Oman answered with their first win over Namibia in Dublin in 2015.
Namibia’s Opening Statement (2012)
At the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in March 2012, Namibia posted 120/7 and restricted Oman to just 84, winning by 36 runs. This was one of the earliest entries on the Oman national cricket team vs Namibia national cricket team timeline and set an early tone of Namibian batting depth against a still-developing Oman side.
Oman’s Breakthrough Win (2015)
Three years later in Dublin, Oman finally turned the tables. Chasing 149 against Namibia in a T20 World Cup Qualifier, Oman won by five wickets with an over to spare, marking their first meaningful victory in this fledgling rivalry and a genuine confidence boost heading into the next decade of matches.
The T20I Era Intensifies (2019-2022)
Namibia won three of four matches between 2019 and early 2022, but Oman’s 9-run win in Windhoek in November 2021 signaled the rivalry was becoming far more competitive.
Namibia’s ODI Debut Advantage
When Namibia earned full ODI status in 2019, they wasted no time asserting dominance. A crushing 145-run win in Windhoek in April 2019 remains one of the largest margins in the entire Oman-Namibia head-to-head record. Oman were also beaten by 54 runs in a T20I in Dubai that October and suffered a further 52-run ODI defeat in Al Amarat in January 2020 – a rough early stretch that put real pressure on Oman’s white-ball setup.
The Windhoek Split (November 2021)
Two matches, one venue, two different outcomes. Namibia won the first ODI in Windhoek by 40 runs, but Oman responded within 24 hours with a tense 9-run win in the very next fixture. This back-to-back split was an early sign that Oman’s bowlers could match Namibia’s top order when conditions and execution lined up.
The Dubai Trilogy (March 2022)
A three-match ODI series in Dubai became the first true rollercoaster in the rivalry’s history:
- March 6: Namibia won by 110 runs, their heaviest defeat of Oman on record
- March 11: Oman levelled the series with a comfortable 7-wicket win
- March 14: Namibia sealed the series 2-1 with a composed 5-wicket chase
This series proved that Oman could genuinely trade blows with Namibia over a full series rather than just producing isolated upsets, a turning point often understated in the broader Oman national cricket team vs Namibia national cricket team timeline.
Read More: Oman National Cricket Team vs Namibia National Cricket Team Timeline
2024: The Rivalry’s Most Dramatic Year
Oman and Namibia played seven competitive matches in 2024 across T20Is, the T20 World Cup, and ODIs – the busiest and most closely fought stretch in their entire history.
The Al Amarat T20I Series
Namibia toured Oman for a five-match T20I series in early April 2024 and needed a strong finish to win it 3-2. Oman actually led 2-0 after two matches, including a tight 6-run win, before Namibia won three straight to steal the series – a comeback built on Namibia’s spinners finding turn on a tiring Al Amarat surface in the back half of the tour.
Super Over Drama at the T20 World Cup
The two sides then collided on cricket’s biggest stage at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown. Namibia posted 109/6, Oman matched them level at 109 in their own 20 overs, and Namibia edged the resulting Super Over. It remains the single most-watched fixture in the Oman national cricket team vs Namibia national cricket team timeline, played in front of a global T20 World Cup audience.
The Dundee Double-Header
Later that July, in an unusual neutral-venue setting at Dundee, the teams split a two-match ODI series – Namibia won the first by 6 wickets, Oman leveled with a 4-wicket win in the second. Few casual fans track this Scottish leg of the rivalry, yet it directly fed into League 2 qualification standings.
League 2 Era: The Qualification Stakes Rise (2025-2026)
Oman and Namibia split their four ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 meetings between February 2025 and April 2026, with three of the four matches decided by fewer than 4 wickets or under 25 runs.
The Al Amarat Reversal (February 2025)
Namibia opened this League 2 sequence with a 23-run win, defending 169 after being restricted to that total themselves. Oman answered just six days later, chasing a modest 100 in only 22.4 overs to win by 2 wickets and split the series evenly.
The Windhoek Thrillers (April 2026)
This is where the Oman national cricket team vs Namibia national cricket team timeline reaches its most intense chapter yet. On April 4, 2026, Oman chased down Namibia’s imposing 268 with just three balls remaining, winning by 3 wickets in a genuine run-fest. A scheduled follow-up on April 6 was abandoned without result. Then, on April 10, Namibia struck back dramatically – Zane Green hit a six off the penultimate ball to seal a 1-wicket win, chasing 219 in the tensest finish either side has produced in years.
Full Head-to-Head Results Table
| Date | Format | Venue | Result |
| Mar 18, 2012 | T20I | Sharjah | Namibia won by 36 runs |
| Jul 22, 2015 | T20I | Dublin | Oman won by 5 wickets |
| Oct 29, 2019 | T20I | Dubai | Namibia won by 54 runs |
| Apr 27, 2019 | ODI | Windhoek | Namibia won by 145 runs |
| Jan 8, 2020 | ODI | Al Amarat | Namibia won by 52 runs |
| Nov 26, 2021 | ODI | Windhoek | Namibia won by 40 runs |
| Nov 27, 2021 | ODI | Windhoek | Oman won by 9 runs |
| Mar 6, 2022 | ODI | Dubai | Namibia won by 110 runs |
| Mar 11, 2022 | ODI | Dubai | Oman won by 7 wickets |
| Mar 14, 2022 | ODI | Dubai | Namibia won by 5 wickets |
| Apr 1-7, 2024 | T20I series | Al Amarat | Namibia won series 3-2 |
| Jun 3, 2024 | T20 World Cup | Bridgetown | Namibia won (Super Over) |
| Jul 18, 2024 | ODI | Dundee | Namibia won by 6 wickets |
| Jul 24, 2024 | ODI | Dundee | Oman won by 4 wickets |
| Feb 10, 2025 | ODI (League 2) | Al Amarat | Namibia won by 23 runs |
| Feb 16, 2025 | ODI (League 2) | Al Amarat | Oman won by 2 wickets |
| Apr 4, 2026 | ODI (League 2) | Windhoek | Oman won by 3 wickets |
| Apr 6, 2026 | ODI (League 2) | Windhoek | No result |
| Apr 10, 2026 | ODI (League 2) | Windhoek | Namibia won by 1 wicket |
Tactical Patterns That Define This Rivalry
Namibia’s biggest wins tend to come from setting large totals early and defending them with disciplined seam bowling, while Oman’s recent strength lies in composed, low-margin run-chases under pressure.
Looking across the entire Oman national cricket team vs Namibia national cricket team timeline, a clear pattern emerges. Namibia’s largest victory margins – 145 runs, 110 runs, 52 runs – have almost all come from batting first and posting competitive totals behind experienced top-order players. Oman, by contrast, has won several of its most important recent matches by chasing under pressure, including two wins in 2025-26 decided by fewer than 3 wickets. This suggests Oman’s tactical evolution has focused heavily on composure in run-chases, a trait that historically separates good Associate sides from genuinely dangerous ones.
The Role of Conditions
Venues have shaped this rivalry as much as personnel. Matches in Al Amarat and Windhoek – the two teams’ respective home conditions – have tended to favor the host side’s bowling strengths, while neutral venues like Dubai and Dundee have produced some of the most unpredictable results in the entire head-to-head record.
What This Means for Future Fixtures
With both nations still active in ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, further meetings are essentially guaranteed before the current qualification cycle closes. Given how evenly split recent results have been – three of the last five completed matches decided by a single-digit margin or fewer than 4 wickets – the next chapter of the Oman national cricket team vs Namibia national cricket team timeline looks set to be just as unpredictable as the last.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who leads the overall head-to-head between Oman and Namibia?
Namibia leads with 13 wins from 22 meetings across all formats; Oman has 7 wins, and 2 matches finished without a result.
When did Oman and Namibia first play each other?
Their documented rivalry began at the 2012 T20 World Cup Qualifier in Sharjah, where Namibia won by 36 runs.
What happened when Oman and Namibia met at the 2024 T20 World Cup?
The match tied at 109 runs apiece in Bridgetown, and Namibia won the resulting Super Over.
Who won the 2024 Oman vs Namibia T20I series?
Namibia won the five-match series 3-2 after trailing 2-0 following the opening two games.
What was the most dramatic recent finish between the two sides?
The April 10, 2026 ODI in Windhoek was decided by a Zane Green six on the penultimate ball as Namibia won by 1 wicket.
How have Oman and Namibia performed in ICC Cricket World Cup League 2?
The two sides have split their League 2 meetings evenly since February 2025, with every completed match decided by a tight margin.
Where do Oman and Namibia usually play their home matches?
Oman typically hosts at Al Amarat Cricket Ground, while Namibia’s home fixtures are played in Windhoek.
Has Oman ever chased down a large total against Namibia?
Yes – in April 2026, Oman successfully chased Namibia’s 268 with just three balls remaining to win by 3 wickets.
Why does this rivalry matter for World Cup qualification?
Both teams compete in ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, where results directly influence ODI World Cup qualification positioning.
Has the rivalry become more competitive over time?
Yes – while Namibia dominated the early years with large victory margins, recent matches since 2022 have overwhelmingly been decided by narrow margins, reflecting closing parity between the sides.