Hello and welcome to Sportstar's Highlights of the T20 World Cup 2021 match between South Africa and West Indies from Dubai.
MATCH RECAP
Aiden Markram (51* off 26) engineered a textbook run-chase with Rassie van der Dussen (43* off 51) to steer South Africa to an eight-wicket win over the West Indies. Chasing a modest 144, skipper Bavuma was run-out in the first over owing to a Andre Russell direct-hit. Reeza Hendricks (39 off 30) paired with one-drop Rassie van der Dussen to ward off further hiccups as the duo stitched a watchful partnership of 57 runs off 50 balls. Aiden Markram took the initiative from there with a fiery 25-ball half-century as Rassie recovered from a jittery start to find some fluency towards the end of the innings.
West Indies, put in to bat, huffed and puffed to a below-par total of 143 as its batters struggled to time the ball and keep the scoreboard ticking. Anrich Nortje stifled the batters with figures of 1-14 in four overs as Dwaine Pretorius scalped three in his two overs in the death to prevent any damage at the back-end. Evin Lewis' (56 off 35) stroke-filled half-century was the only bright spot in an otherwise poor batting performance which never got going.
FULL REPORT HERE:T20 World Cup: Windies lose to South Africa after Markram, Nortje's starring roles
South Africa beat West Indies by eight wickets.
Player of the Match: Anrich Nortje 1-14 (4 overs)
SA 144/2 in 18.2 overs: SIX! Pulled over long-on by Markram and that's a 25-ball fifty. Scores level. Pulled to deep square leg for a single and that's the win!
SA 137/2 in 18 overs: Bravo continues. Bowls it straight and slightly into the pitch. The batters are content with the singles with less than run-a-ball needed. This is turning out to be a run-chase tailored to perfection.
SA 133/2 in 17 overs: Markram chips Russell over cover and Hetmyer does well to keep it to two. Replays show his foot was in contact with the rope before he released the ball and it is a FOUR! A couple of singles and Markram ends the over with another FOUR! Drives outside off over cover.
SA 121/2 in 16 overs: FOUR! Rassie finally finds some timing. Gets down on one knee and sweeps Bravo to square leg. FOUR! Full on the off this time and Rassie ploughs it to long-off. Pooran will stand up to the stumps to Bravo as he puts on a helmet. A last desperate shot at pulling things back in its favour. Two more come off it.
SA 111/2 in 15 overs: Two single and a SIX! Leg-cutter on the stumps from Rampaul and Markram pulls over square leg gloriously and holds the pose. Right off the middle of the bat. That will ease some pressure off after the two-run Bravo over. Rassie, on the other hand, is labouring away at 29 off 41. He doesn't seem to get the timing right as he jams the bowl into the ground trying to pull the shorter ones.
SA 100/2 in 14 overs: Bravo to continue. Great from the champion as he concedes just a single. Keeps it full on off and the batters look to flick it away on the on-side to find the fielder. This over might just have put a little bit of pressure back on South Africa.
SA 98/2 in 13 overs: Russell to bowl his second. Two singles and a dot. FOUR! Decked in short and Rassie shuffles across and places it fine. Rassie takes one to retain strike. South Africa is acing this chase with a level-headed approach.
SA 91/2 in 12 overs: Pollard into the attack. Three singles to start with. Markram hits it into the ground that goes straight to Pollard on the bounce. It looked like a soft caught and bowled dismissal. SIX! Slightly full and Markram pounces on it to swat it over square leg. Another big win by Markram on the last ball of an over and this seems to be an effective ploy. Playing out the singles before going big on the last one.
SA 82/2 in 11 overs: Walsh sprays it down leg, a single on the wide. Tucked off the legs by Markram for a couple. Goes for the ramp and collects two at fine leg. Two more off a backfoot punch pierced through point. Driven along the ground for a single. SIX! Markram disturbs the lull with a clean slog over mid-wicket and that is deep into the stands. Good over for South Africa. Collected a few couples before launching a big one.
SA 66/2 in 10 overs: OUT! Hendricks pulls off Akeal and Hetmyer dives at deep square leg to complete a spectacular catch. Hendricks was looking dangerous and this will be a breather for West Indies. Markram in at number four. Wide and batters run two on the extra. Markram off the mark with a single to long-off. Pulled away by Rassie and Pollard dives at silly mid-on to stop a sure boundary. Reeza Hendricks c Hetmyer b Akeal Hosein 39 (30b 4x4 1x6).
SA 60/1 in 9 overs: Walsh continues. Too easy for South Africa as batters keep the score ticking with five singles from the over. They are happy to nudge the spinners around, and with not much to chase down, they will canter home unless West Indies gets a few breakthroughs.
SA 55/1 in 8 overs: Bravo to bowl the eighth over. Slides it down leg and it is a wide. Beaten! Swings it away from Hendricks who looks to carve it between point and cover. A single and that's a fifty for the Proteas. FOUR! Over-pitched and lofted over cover to the boundary.
SA 47/1 in 7 overs: Hayden Walsh to bowl. Great start from the leg-spinner. Just five runs from it as the batters look to get their eye in before taking Walsh on. A skilful googly beats Rassie and gets him on the upper thigh.
SA 42/1 in 6 overs: Akeal to bowl his third. Six runs accumulated from the over as Hendricks and Rassie are happy to run the ones and twos..
SA 36/1 in 5 overs: Russell with the ball. Hendricks collects three with a gentle elevation over point. FOUR! Short and Hendricks pulls it away over mid-wicket to the boundary. Bouncer to end the over as Hendricks ducks nonchalantly.
SA 26/1 in 4 overs: FOUR! Hendricks gets on top of the bounce, opens the face of the bat and runs it to third. Batters work the singles off the backfoot to find the gaps and collect singles. Nine from it.
SA 17/1 in 3 overs: SIX! Hendricks clears his front foot and launches it over mid-wicket. Stand and deliver and that's 1000 runs for him in T20Is. FOUR! Short and Hendricks swivels to pull it behind square leg. Unexpected bounce and Rassie almost nudges it straight to short mid-wicket. Three dots to end the over.
SA 6/1 in 2 overs: Rampaul to share the new ball. Rassie gets one with a drive to deep point. Hendricks tucks it away square for a single. Just two from the over.
SA 4/1 in 1 over: Akeal Hosein to start the proceedings. Bavuma off the mark with a flick for one. Hendricks returns the strike to the skipper with a single. Punched off the backfoot by Bavuma for one more. Slightly straighter and Hendricks fends it back to the bowler. OUT! Bavuma departs trying to steal a single as Russell strikes the stumps from mid-on. Temba Bavuma run out (Russell) 2(3b 0x4 0x6).
BACK WITH THE RUN-CHASE
Evin Lewis 35-ball 56 was the only highlight of an otherwise ordinary batting performance by the West Indies. Fellow-opener Lendl Simmons never got going and fell for a sluggish 16 off 35 balls. Pooran and Pollard started off with promise but fell trying to up the ante towards the end of the innings. As West Indies looks to defend a below-par total, it will be keen on getting the early dismissals and expose South Africa's shaky middle-order early on. Quinton de Kock's absence will also bolster its chances.
WI 143/8 in 20 overs: Pretorius to bowl the last. Just a single as Bravo opens the face of the blade and chips it over backward point. Pollard creams it down the ground and there's an appeal for a catch at mid-off. OUT! Third umpire believes he had his fingers under the ball and Pollard departs. Kieron Pollard c van der Dussen b Pretorius 26(20b 2x4 1x6). Hayden Walsh comes in. OUT! Slower one and Hayden Walsh chips it straight to deep extra cover. Two in two for Pretorius. Hayden Walsh c Hendricks b Pretorius 0(1b 0x4 0x6).FOUR! Full on off and Bravo slogs it over mid-off. Keeps it on the off on the last two balls as Bravo is beaten on the first and collects a couple at deep extra cover to close the innings.
WI 136/6 in 19 overs: Nortje to bowl out. Keeps it out of the arc with a widish line outside off. Just a single. OUT! Timber! The good old-fashioned fast worker and Russell slog sweeps at his own peril. Andre Russell b Nortje 5(4b 1x4 0x6). Full-toss on off and Hetmyer guides it straight to cover. Hetmyer launches it to long-off and scurries back for the second and finds himself short as the third umpire confirms. OUT! Hetmyer departs. Shimron Hetmyer run out (Miller/Klaasen) 1(2b 0x4 0x6). A single for Bravo first-up and Pollard collects two to end the over.
WI 131/4 in 18 overs: Pretorius to bowl his first over. OUT! And what a way to start. Gets Chris Gayle on his first ball. Wide outside off and slow and Gayle gets a thick outside edge trying to find the on-side boundary. Chris Gayle c Klaasen b Pretorius 12(12b 0x4 1x6).FOUR! Russells announces himself on the crease with a smash down the ground. Pace off and Russell trying to tonk it over mid-wicket. FOUR! Too full and wide and Pollard emulates Russell's heave down the ground. Single to end the over.
WI 121/3 in 17 overs: Rabada to bowl out. No-ball called by the third umpire. FOUR! Pollard smashes a full-toss along the deck to the mid-wicket boundary. Short and Rabada keeps Gayle down to a single. Flicked to square leg by Pollard for a couple. Rabada is bowling into the pitch and straight, making it hard for Pollard and Gayle to free their arms. Sliced to point and well-fielded by Rassie to save three runs.
WI 111/3 in 16 overs: SIX! Pollard explodes. Full on the stumps and Pollard slogs it over square leg. Hundred up for WI . Interesting match-up as the leggie Shamsi goes up against Pollard in the death overs. SIX! Gayle comes to the party and finds the middle to launch it straight down the ground. Wide from under-pressure Shamsi.
WI 95/3 in 15 overs: Nortje to Gayle. A tidy over from Nortje. Gives just two runs with power-hittes Pollard and Gayle at the crease. Keeps it full and fast and the batters cannot find the gaps.
WI 93/3 in 14 overs:OUT! Slower leg-cutter by Rabada and Simmons gets out of shape trying to slog it on the on-side. He misses and Rabada hits. Simmons painful innings finally comes to an end. Simmons b Rabada 16(35b 0x4 0x6). A couple for Pollard upfront.
WI 89/2 in 13 overs: Maharaj bowls out. Simmons punches it down the ground for one. OUT! Pooran Looked to launched it over long-off but didn't get the elevation. Gayle off the mark with a single off his second ball. Simmons returns the strike straighaway. Loud LBW appeal against Gayle and turned down. Bavuma goes for the review. Impact is umpire's call and Gayle survives. Pooran c Miller b Maharaj 12(7b 2x4 0x6).
WI 86/1 in 12 overs: Shamsi continues. FOUR! Pooran reverse-sweeps with authority to run it to backward square leg boundary. FOUR! Sweetly timed cover drive and Pooran showing his class. Simmons steps out and fends off for just one. A couple for Pooran to end the over.
WI 74/1 in 11 overs: Maharaj to bowl his third over. Simmons still deals in singles. SIX! Lewis seems to be batting on a different wicket. Rocks back, gets under the ball and pummels it over long-on. Wide! OUT! Shorter, Lewis swivels again for the pull but finds the deep square leg fielder this time. Pooran off the mark straightaway. Simmons prolongs his agony with two more dot balls. Evin Lewis c Rabada b Maharaj 56(35b 3x4 6x6).
WI 65/0 in 10 overs: Shamsi with the ball as South Africa turns to its number one bowler in search of a wicket. Cramping the batters for room. Simmons needs to get a move as he struggles on 12 off 27 balls. SIX! Lewis goes on his knees and slogs it over the stands. That's a fifty for Lewis - in 32 balls!
WI 56/0 in 9 overs: Maharaj continues. A dot and three singles and that's the fifty for West Indies. Thirty dot balls so far in the innings. SIX! Fuller one by Maharaj and Lewis launches it over long-on.
WI 47/0 in 8 overs: Nortje continues. Back of length first ball and comes back with a toe-crusher that Simmons desperately negotiates. Pushed off the backfoot to point for a single. Slower one on the legs and shoots off Lewis's gloves and almost falls back onto the stumps. Just one off it.
WI 46/0 in 7 overs: Left-arm spinner Maharaj in for the first over after Powerplay. Just three come from it. The batters attempt a few heaves but no timing on it. Good over from Maharaj.
WI 43/0 in 6 overs: Nortje with his first over. FOUR! Lewis smashes a full one over mid-off. DROPPED! Unexpected bounce, Simmons edges it trying to slice and stand-in keeper Klaasen floors it. Simmons takes one to keep strike.
WI 36/0 in 5 overs: Third over in the Poweplay for Markram. Lewis slog sweeps and takes a couple as it lands short of a deep square leg fielder who runs in. Two dots and SIX! Markram pulls back his length and Lewis pulls it forcefully over mid-wicket. SIX! Fuller this time and Lewis picks it up over long-on. FOUR! Markram getting a beating here. Short again and Lewis launches it over mid-on.
WI 18/0 in 4 overs: Rabada steams in from his end. Simmons looks to cut loose with a wild heave outside off, gets no timing on it and it lands safely at deep backward point. LBW appeal but the fielding side is not too convinced. FOUR! A boundary at last as Lewis slices it over backward point. SIX! Lewis shifting gears and smashes it straight into the stands. Single to end the over.
WI 6/0 in 3 overs: Markram continues. Probing line and length from Markram as Lewis finds a fielder on all six occasions. Maiden over.
WI 6/0 in 2 overs: Rabada from the other end. Simmons steps out and misses trying to slash through point. Gets off strike with a single down backward point after three dot balls. Down the leg and brushes off the pads. Klaasen does well to get some glove on it and just one leg-bye. Placed to point and a dot to end the over.
WI 4/0 in 1 over: Bavuma will start off with spin as Aiden Markram takes the ball. Simmons takes a single off the first ball and it's a tight run. Wide next ball. Punched off the backfoot straight down the ground for a single. Driven to mid-off for a single and Simmons keeps strike.
Bavuma moving his troops around as Evin Lewis and Lendl Simmons walk to the middle to open the batting. Heinrich Klaasen will be taking over the gloves in the absence of Quinton de Kock. Both teams taking the knee to stand in solidarity against racism.
Both teams take the field for the national anthems and will hope to draw all possible inspiration ahead of this crucial match as they look to bounce back from their first-match defeats.
A much-needed call for unity by South Africa ahead of the game.
Trivia: South Africa and West Indies kick-started the T20 revolution as they clashed in the tournament opener of the 2007 World T20. South Africa chased down 206 runs for the loss of two wickets as Herschelle Gibbs starred with an unbeaten 55-ball 90. Universe Boss Gayle's blistering century went in vain.
South Africa Playing XI: Temba Bavuma (c), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi
West Indies Playing XI: Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard (c), Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Akeal Hosein, Hayden Walsh, Ravi Rampaul
Both captains are on the field for the toss. South Africa puts West Indies in to bat. Huge news coming in as Quinton de Kock has made himself unavailable and Reeza Hendricks comes in for him. For the West Indies Hayden Walsh replaces Obed McCoy.
Behold a flying Aiden Markram in the first match against Australia.
STAT ALERT: Chris Gayle (933) needs 84 runs to surpass Mahela Jayawardene's T20 World Cup run tally of 1016 and become the leading run-scorer in the tournament.
Stars of the fixture (overall)
Head-to-head in T20Is
MATCH PREVIEW:
Having lost their respective opening matches of the Super 12 stage, South Africa and West Indies will look to bounce back when they meet at the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in Dubai on Tuesday.
Both teams have fragile batting to address. Against England, on a pitch where shot-making wasn't easy, West Indies batters kept going after the bowling despite losing early wickets. They were eventually bowled out for 55.
If the pitch keeps low and slow, West Indies might start thinking about tweaking its approach with the bat. Roston Chase could replace Chris Gayle at No. 3. Chase can be the anchor and also provide an off-spin option.
South Africa, on the other hand, is light on experience with seven players featuring at their first World Cup.
-Ayan Acharya
READ FULL PREVIEW:T20 World Cup: Time for real Windies to step up against South Africa
Where to watch T20 World Cup 2021 - South Africa vs West Indies Live?
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