West Indies clinically sweep the series 3-0

In the third Twenty20 International at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Trinidad, West Indies easily defeated South Africa by eight wickets to complete the series 3-0. Due to weather, the game was shortened to 13 overs. However, because to a quickfire 42* from Shai Hope and cameos from Nicholas Pooran (35) and Shimron Hetmyer (31*), the West Indies were able to easily chase down the 116 target with 22 balls remaining. In an otherwise difficult night, South Africa found solace in Tristan Stubbs’ 40 off 15 deliveries.

To keep the scoring rate in check early on, Matthew Forde and Akeal Hosein were able to sneak in a few calm overs. In his second over, Forde tried to pinch Ryan Rickelton for space, but the hitter was able to get a hit through the line for a boundary and a six. Seven overs were lost by each side when play was abandoned for an hour due to the rain that arrived a few balls later.

Reeza Hendricks was removed when play began following the break, when he gave Fabian Allen a short delivery off the left-arm spinner at deep midwicket. In the following over, Rickelton was dropped at cover and managed to survive. The left-hander defeated Gudakesh Motie in their match and slog-swept him for a maximum. Shortly afterwards, Aiden Markram faced Motie and scored a four and a six in a sixteen-run over.

Stubbs was forced to the crease after Romario Shepherd scalped both hitters. He started by hitting Obed McCoy with two sixes and a four. Forde was next to receive, with two limits and a maximum. Allen finished with a magnificent 40 from 15 balls when Stubbs misplayed a slower ball from Forde that landed in his hands. South Africa reached 108 for 4 in 13 overs as a result.

Bjorn Fortuin picked up Alick Athanaze with a revised target of 116 in 13 overs, and Athanaze chipped it to Aiden Markram at mid-on. Pooran didn’t take long to smash his opening ball of Fortuin for six. He kept going, hitting two enormous sixes over deep square against Lizaad Williams. Hope secured a strong hold on Kwena Maphaka, resulting in three consecutive onside sixes. The mayhem persisted.

Pooran hit a six and two boundaries against Ottneil Baartman while still in fifth gear, eventually pulling the bowler to deep midwicket. In the PowerPlay, the West Indies had accelerated to 60 for 2.

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Patrick Kruger’s couple of calm overs provided a small respite for South Africa. However, this was soon to vanish as Shimron Hetmyer hit Maphaka with a six. After Baartman was taken down by the left-hander for three boundaries, the shackles opened once again. With a huge six over cover, Hope finished the formalities.