CENTURION: West Indies captain Rovman Powell smashed a quickfire 43 not out to propel his side to a three wicket victory over South Africa in a rain-reduced Twenty20 International here at the SuperSport Park on Saturday.

Powells knock came off only 18 balls as the West Indies reached their target of 132 with three balls to spare to go 1-0 up in the three-match series.

The game was reduced to 11 overs each with South Africa scoring 131-8 and then the tourists replying with 132-7.

After a two-hour delay, Powell put South Africa into bat in damp conditions and got immediate returns as key batsmen Quinton de Kock and Rilee Rossouw departed cheaply.

David Miller came to the home sides rescue by scoring 48 off 22 balls, which coupled with cameos from Reeza Hendricks (21) and Sisanda Magala (18 not out), took South Africa to a defendable total.

West Indies went on the attack from the start of their innings, scoring 17 runs off their opening four balls before South Africa snagged Kyle Mayers with the next delivery.

Brandon King (23) and Johnson Charles (28) continued to bully the bowlers before Powell hit three sixes and a four as the West Indies plundered 25 runs off Bjorn Fortuin in the eighth over.

It left them needing 20 runs off the last three overs but what should have been a routine assignment was frustrated by two wickets in as many balls for Magala before Powell ensured victory in the last over.

The second T20 clash will also be contested at Centurion on Sunday.

SCOREBOARD

SOUTH AFRICA:

Q. de Kock c Cottrell b Hosein 0

R. Hendricks c Pooran b Smith 21

R. Rossouw c Powell b Cottrell 10

A. Markram c Charles b Joseph 14

D. Miller c Shepherd b Smith 48

H. Klaasen c Charles b Cottrell 1

W. Parnell c Pooran b Shepherd 4

S. Magala not out 18

B. Fortuin run out 4

A. Nortje not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-4, NB-1, W-6) 11

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 11 overs) 131

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (de Kock), 2-12 (Rossouw), 3-40 (Markram), 4-55 (Hendricks), 5-61 (Klaasen), 6-79 (Parnell), 7-126 (Miller), 8-131 (Fortuin).

DID NOT BAT: T. Shamsi.

BOWLING: Hosein 2-0-28-1, Cottrell 3-0-31-2 (2w), Joseph 2-0-21-1 (1w), Shepherd 2-0-20-1 (2w), Smith 2-0-27-2 (1w, 1nb).

WEST INDIES:

B. King b Magala 23

K. Mayers c de Kock b Fortuin 6

J. Charles c Nortje b Shamsi 28

N. Pooran c de Kock b Nortje 16

R. Powell not out 43

R. Shepherd run out 3

O. Smith b Magala 5

A. Hosein c de Kock b Magala 0

R. Chase not out 4

EXTRAS (W-4) 4

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 10.3 overs) 132

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-17 (Mayers), 2-34 (King), 3-66 (Pooran), 4-76 (Charles), 5-112 (Shepherd), 6-120 (Smith), 7-120 (Hosein).

DID NOT BAT: S. Cottrell, A. Joseph.

BOWLING: Fortuin 2-0-42-1 (1w), Parnell 1.3-0-25-0 (1w), Magala 2-0-21-3, Shamsi 2-0-27-1 (1w), Nortje 3-0-17-1 (1w).

RESULT: West Indies won by three wickets.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2023