CENTURION: New West Indies skipper Rovman Powell thrashed five sixes and led his side to a three-wicket victory over South Africa in a rain-shortened first T20 international at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Saturday.
The match was shortened to 11 overs a side but produced 263 runs and 15 wickets in a frantic game.
Powell hit 43 runs not out off 18 balls as the West Indies successfully chased down a South African total of 131 runs for eight with three balls to spare.
Powell said the reduction in overs suited several of his players.
“A lot of the players in the team are used to the T10 format,” Powell said.
“We know the ball travels so much, so 130 target was gettable.”
Opener Brandon King scored 23 off eight balls, and Johnson Charles smashed 28 off 14 balls as the West Indies made an explosive start, scoring 84 runs for four in the first six overs.
David Miller scored 48 off 22 deliveries in South Africa’s innings.
South Africa loose quick wickets
Wickets fell rapidly as boundaries were hit, but David Miller ensured a competitive target, hitting four fours and three massive sixes.
He and fast bowler Sisanda Magala smacked 47 runs off 13 balls for the seventh wicket.
Left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell took two wickets for seven runs in his first two overs but conceded 24 runs in the tenth over as Miller and Magala went on the rampage.
Magala hit one four and two sixes in an unbeaten 18 off five deliveries.
South African skipper Aiden Markram said his team had started badly with both ball and bat.
“To take it to the final over was a great effort from the bowlers,” Markram said.
Anrich Nortje took one for 17 runs in three overs of high-class fast bowling, and Magala claimed three for 21, including two wickets in the penultimate over.
But spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Bjorn Fortuin conceded a combined 69 runs off four overs.
The South Africa and West Indies teams meet at the same venue on Sunday.
