West Indies shine in second international T20 match

By Jeniffer Achieng

In the second T20 international, played on Sunday, the West Indies defeated South Africa by 30 runs. The defeat gave the Caribbean side an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. This came after the West Indies won the first match by 175 with a lead of 7 wickets and 13 balls.

West Indies posted a magnificent score of 179 for six after batting first, accelerating from 111 with 4 balls to spare after 14 overs, and South Africa managed to score 149 for 3 with more than six overs remaining. During the match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy Stadium in Tarouba, the Proteas lost their last seven wickets for just 20 runs in 35 balls, leaving them dismissed for 149 runs after 19.4 overs, 30 runs short.

South African Reeza Hendricks started the chase well, hitting 44 off 18 balls, including two of his team’s six sixes, before being bowled by Romario Shepherd. West Indies put up an outstanding bowling performance.

Shai Hope scored well for West Indies with an exciting 41 from 22 balls. Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie removed Tristan Stubbs and Donovan Ferreira respectively to make the breakthrough, but Romario Shepherd and Shamar Joseph finished the game. Shepherd Romario of South Africa took 3 for 15 from his four overs, including key wickets of Hendricks and South African captain Aiden Markram. Shamar Joseph made a key contribution, taking 3-31.

The South African midfielders caused unrest when a batsman crossed 20 after number three in the game.

Captain Rovman contributed 35 while Sherfane Rutherford added 29, helping the team to a competitive total. West Indies scored 13 sixes compared to South Africa’s six and thus won the match and secured the Twenty20 International Series.

The West Indies now have a strong lead in the series after securing a win against South Africa in the last match. `

Rovma Powel was happy with the way his team played. “We applied pressure after the powerplay. Wickets brought us back into the game. T20 cricket can change very quickly,” he said.

“My team will learn from the loss and try to make up for it in the last game on Tuesday. We have a never-give-up attitude,” Markram said.