Jai Moondra sets Ireland ODI record as Namibia series goes to decider

Jai Moondra claimed Ireland's best bowling figures in a one-day international as a 130-run victory over Namibia took their five-match series to a deciding game. According to BBC Sport's match report, the seamer finished with 6-26 in Windhoek, where Ireland made 298-8 before dismissing the hosts for 168 in 41 overs. The result levelled the series at 2-2 ahead of Sunday's finale.

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Moondra's performance surpassed Josh Little's 6-36 against Zimbabwe in 2023, the previous Irish ODI record. The 29-year-old took three early wickets as Namibia slipped to 32-3 in pursuit of 299. That opening spell changed the pattern of a series in which Namibia had passed 300 twice in the first three matches, winning both of those games to establish a 2-1 lead.

Ireland's batting effort began with a change at the top of the order. Captain Paul Stirling is missing the rest of the series after breaking a finger in the third match, the BBC reported. Lorcan Tucker took over as captain, lost the toss and was asked to bat. Tim Tector replaced Stirling as an opener and made his ODI debut after eight previous appearances in T20 internationals.

Tector scored 73 from 81 balls, reaching his half-century from 64 deliveries before increasing the pace. His innings included seven fours and three sixes. Curtis Campher added 66 from 50 balls, following his century in Tuesday's defeat, before Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus held the catch that ended his innings. George Dockrell finished unbeaten on 47, while JJ Smit took 4-44 for the hosts.

Namibia found some resistance late in their reply through an eighth-wicket stand of 57 between Zane Green and Ruben Trumpelmann. Green made 45 from 58 balls and Trumpelmann contributed 40 from 34. Moondra dismissed both within nine deliveries to complete his first international five-wicket haul, then removed Jack Brassell to finish the match and secure his sixth wicket.

The haul brought Moondra's total to 10 wickets across the first four games of the series. Ireland also received another substantial contribution from Campher, whose batting average stands at 55 from eight ODIs in 2026, according to the BBC. Together with Tector's debut innings, those performances kept Ireland in contention for the series despite Stirling's absence.