West Indies 176 for 3 (Pooran 65*, Hope 51, Athanaze 40, Baartman 2-30) defeated South Africa 174 for 7 (Stubbs 76, Kruger 44, Forde 3-27, Shamar 2-40) by seven wickets.
most The West Indies pulled off the highest successful T20 chase at the Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series against South Africa.
After opting to bowl first, the West Indies seized control early, reducing South Africa to 42 for 5 within eight overs, just as heavy rain delayed the start of play by an hour. South Africa managed to recover, thanks to a sixth-wicket partnership of 71 runs from 50 balls between Patrick Kruger and Tristan Stubbs. Later, Stubbs and Bjorn Fortuin added 60 runs off 25 balls for the seventh wicket, injecting much-needed momentum into the innings. Matthew Forde, playing his third T20I, matched his career-best figures with 3 for 27.
In their chase, the West Indies were dominant throughout. Shai Hope and Alick Athanaze set the tone with an 84-run stand in 49 balls for the op. This was follo. Pooran, in particular, was ruthless against the inexperienced South African bowling attack, smashing his fastest T20I fifty in just 20 balls and finishing unbeaten on 65 off 26 on the seventh wicket, giving the innings much-needed impetus. In his third Twenty20 International, Matthew Forde equaled his best-ever career statistics with 3 for 27.
The West Indies led the way the entire time they were pursuing. With a first wicket stand of 84 runs in 49 balls, Shai Hope and Alick Athanaze set the tone. After that, Hope and Nicholas Pooran shared a 54-run partnership off of 33 balls, shattering the back of South Africa’s defense. Against the inexperienced South African bowling attack, Pooran in particular was particularly brutal, reaching his quickest T20I fifty in just 20 deliveries and finishing undefeated on 65 off 26.
South Africa’s depth was put to the test badly lacking the heart of their bowling attack, especially after Lungi Ngidi was ruled out of the series with a calf issue prior to the match. At the age of eighteen years and 137 days, Kwena Maphaka became their youngest-ever debutant and took his first wicket in an international match when he dismissed West Indies skipper Rovman Powell, caught at extra cover. But by then, the West Indies only needed three more runs to win, and Roston Chase quickly ensured that with a boundary on the following ball. With 13 balls left, the West Indies secured the win.
The Triple Strike of the West Indies
Powell made a wise choice by bowling first. Following a superb first over from Akeal Hosein (who gave up only three runs), Matthew Forde made the initial breakthrough.Trying to cut a quick, wide delivery, Ryan Rickelton could only toe-end it to Nicholas Pooran. A strong reverse sweep and pull shot off Hosein was Aiden Markram’s response. However, he miscued a ball off Forde, and it went straight to Gudakesh Motie at mid-on. After just two balls, Reeza Hendricks pushed Shamar Joseph’s opening delivery to Akeal Hosein at deep third, prolonging the opener’s bad run of play. In just two of his previous 11 T20I innings, has he scored more than 20 runs.
South Africa ended the power play at 33 for 3, having labored through it. As soon as the fielding limitations were removed, Rassie van der Dussen was caught down the leg side, giving Joseph his second wicket.
After eight overs, South Africa was already at 42 for 5, and all of their recognized hitters—aside from Tristan Stubbs—were back in the dugout. Stubbs got off to a cautious start, scoring an unusual 13 runs off his first 16 balls. He sent Gudakesh Motie over long-on for the biggest six of the innings as his first forceful stroke. However, Stubbs didn’t really take over the game until Patrick Kruger was fired.
He got his fifty off 33 balls with a drive off Joseph over cover point after hitting back-to-back fours off full deliveries from Forde on each side of the wicket. He was on his way to scoring another six when he was caught at long-on on the penultimate ball of the innings, having scored 23 runs in his previous six balls. Stubbs had taken South Africa to 174 runs in spite of his removal, and his bowlers now had something to defend.
West Indies Gets a Dream Start with Hope and Athanaze
West Indies needed ten deliveries to get their first boundary, but after that, they were able to score runs at a rapid pace. In just his second Twenty20 International, Alick Athanaze opened the batting and stroked Bjorn Fortuin over long leg, followed by Shai Hope, putting Ottneil Baartman through a deep backward square-leg and over long-off. Athanaze hit Nandre Burger for 20 runs in the fifth over, including two sixes over deep square-leg and a well executed late cut for four. That was the genuine attack. Due to this, South Africa was compelled to add a fifth bowler during the power play. Even worse, Aiden Markram took the ball himself and gave up 21 runs in his over. With two of those runs coming from long-on and long-off sixes, Hope scored 16 of those runs off just three balls, leading West Indies to an impressive 75-run power play.
Pooran’s Four Straight Sixes Almost Complete the Victory
When Nandre Burger was brought back into the game in the 12th over, Nicholas Pooran, needing 70 runs off 54 balls to win, decided to take matters into his own hands. Burger tried a slower ball to Pooran after Shai Hope got off strike, and the latter easily struck it straight over long-off for a 77-meter six. Burger delivered a slower ball again, but this time it was a full toss that Pooran lofted over midwicket and into the stands. The next two balls were fuller but quicker, and Pooran was well-positioned to smash them both for two more sixes, cutting the aim to 45 off 48 balls. Even yet, West Indies dropped a few wickets.Following that, they won the match with ease after reaching the goal.
