South Africa delivered a commanding performance to crush the West Indies by nine wickets in the opening match of the KFC T20 International series at Boland Park in Paarl on January 27. The victory marked South Africa’s largest margin of victory by wickets against the Caribbean side in T20 history.
The match, which served as crucial preparation for both teams ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, saw the West Indies competing without regular captain Shai Hope, who was rested for the fixture. Roston Chase assumed leadership duties for his 50th T20 international appearance.
After winning the toss and electing to field, South African captain Aiden Markram’s decision proved immediately justified as the Proteas restricted the visitors to 57/3 during the powerplay period. The West Indies’ innings struggled to gain momentum despite a resilient sixth-wicket partnership between Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer, who combined for a crucial 74-run stand off 50 deliveries. Their efforts propelled the Caribbean side to a seemingly competitive total of 173/7 from their allotted 20 overs.
South Africa’s response was nothing short of dominant, with openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Markram launching a blistering assault that yielded 68 runs without loss during the powerplay. The West Indies’ fielding woes compounded their troubles when both Pretorius (on 21) and Markram (on 27) were dropped in the field. Pretorius eventually fell for 44, but Markram continued his destructive innings, smashing 86 runs from just 47 deliveries. Ryan Rickelton provided supporting fire with an unbeaten 40 as South Africa cruised to victory with 9 wickets and 20 balls to spare.