T20 WC 2021: SA vs WI Review – Markram fifty guides Proteas to comprehensive win

South Africa beat defending champions West Indies in their second Super 12 match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. This was West Indies’ 2nd loss in this tournament and the Proteas’ first win.

Lewis fifty sets the tone

Winning the toss, South Africa decided to bowl first. West Indies didn’t get off to an ideal start with Lendl Simmons playing one of the worst T20I innings – 16 runs off 35 balls. But on the other side, Evin Lewis was striking the big ones at regular intervals. His 56 set the foundation for a respectable total for the Windies. However, the Proteas bounced back brilliantly with the ball to restrict the batting side. Keshav Maharaj struck early with the first breakthrough but it was Dwaine Pretorius’ late 3 wickets that ended up giving South Africa the upper hand.

In response, the Proteas went about the chase in a pretty swift manner. Despite losing their captain Temba Bavuma early, Reeza Hendricks ensured a solid start. His 39 runs off 30 balls brought stability to the innings along with Rassie Van der Dussen playing anchor. He scored a 51-ball 43 and also supported Aiden Markram at the other end his 26-ball 51 is the fastest fifty scored in this tournament. It was a hapless bowling performance from the West Indies, who failed to fight back in any manner, making it a one-sided 8-wicket win for their opponents.

Top performers

Aiden Markram: After losing two wickets, the Proteas were looking in a bit of trouble and desperately needed some acceleration. Markram provided just that at the right time. He hit two fours and four sixes which helped them get past the total.

Dwaine Pretorius: The all-rounder bowled two crucial overs and restricted the West Indies to a total that should have been chased easily on the surface. He picked the scalps of Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Hayden Walsh Jr and gave only 17 runs from those two overs at the back end of the innings.

Achievement/records

● Aiden Markram has the most 50+ scores for South Africa in 2021 (9), equaling Quinton de Kock

● This was South Africa’s 3rd win over the West Indies in the T20 World Cup. West Indies have won only one in 2016

South Africa will now face Sri Lanka on October 30, while West Indies will meet Bangladesh on October 29.