West Indies win T20I series against South Africa after holding their nerve at the death
- Nasri Alexander
- 28 March 2023
West Indies held their nerve at the death with the ball and bat to beat South Africa by seven runs in the third and deciding T20I at the Wanderers on Tuesday.
Defending a target 221, the Windies restricted the Proteas to a total of 213-6 despite a valiant career-best 83 off 44 balls from opener Reeza Hendricks.
Alzarri Joseph was pick of the bowlers for the visitors as the fast bowler took a maiden five-wicket haul to finish with figures of 5-40 in his four overs.
The Windies bowlers showed good composure after conceding a world record run-chase 259 in the previous game and certainly contained the Proteas batters, especially towards the latter part of the innings.
Hendricks continued where he left off in the previous encounter and struck 11 fours and two sixes in his knock that came to an end in the penultimate over.
The opener received good support from Rilee Rossouw who struck 42 off 21 deliveries while captain Aiden Markram was unbeaten on 35 off 18 balls but his team came up just short.
The West Indies posted a total of 220-8 thanks to cameo late in the innings from number nine Romario Shepherd who hit an unbeaten 44 from 22 balls.
The muscular allrounder resurrected the innings, striking two fours and three huge sixes, after the Caribbean outfit were in trouble on 161-8 in the 16th over while Joseph also contributed an important 14 not out off nine balls.
Opener Brandon King had earlier scored 36 while Nicholas Pooran hit four sixes in a 19-ball 42 but the Windies lost wickets at regular intervals.
Anrich Nortje was the pick of the Proteas bowlers with figures of 2-36 while Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada also picked up two scalps apiece but were expensive in their four overs.
Ngidi conceded 45 runs while Rabada came off worse and went for 50, including going for 26 in the final over as West Indies took momentum into their fielding effort.
