JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — In a dramatic conclusion to their T20 series, the West Indies cricket team secured a morale-boosting victory against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium on Saturday. The match, heavily impacted by weather disruptions, was ultimately decided by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, with the Caribbean side prevailing by six runs in a contest reduced to just ten overs per side.
The encounter faced multiple delays due to lightning threats, initially pushing the start back by 75 minutes and subsequently reducing the match from a scheduled 16 overs to the final 10-over format. Batting first under challenging stop-start conditions, the West Indies posted a competitive total of 114-3, largely powered by a dynamic 86-run partnership between captain Shai Hope (48) and the in-form Shimron Hetmyer, who remained unbeaten on 48 from just 22 deliveries.
South Africa’s chase of an adjusted target of 125 fell just short at 118-6, thanks to exceptional bowling performances from two West Indian players making their series debut. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie emerged as the match’s standout performer, claiming three crucial wickets for 17 runs, while pace bowler Shamar Joseph delivered a decisive final over, conceding only nine runs and clean-bowling the dangerous Jason Smith (26 off 10 balls).
Captain Shai Hope expressed satisfaction with his team’s progress, noting the particular difficulty of batting first in such interrupted conditions. ‘It’s very challenging when you are stopping and starting,’ Hope stated. ‘I’m very happy with the strides we’re making. It’s good to see Shimron batting well and the bowlers are hitting their straps.’
Despite the loss, South African captain Aiden Markram viewed the frenetic contest as valuable preparation, describing it as ‘a really good exercise for us’ that placed players under pressure and yielded positive responses. Markram remained confident in his squad’s capabilities ahead of the World Cup, asserting ‘I think we’ve got all bases covered’ after South Africa had already secured the series 2-1 with convincing victories in the first two matches.
Both teams depart for India immediately to commence their campaigns in the upcoming T20 World Cup, carrying forward lessons and momentum from this highly competitive series.