NEW DELHI: West Indies completed a clean sweep of their three-match
T20I
series against South Africa with a dominant eight-wicket victory at Sabina Park on Sunday. Chasing a target of 164, the hosts raced to the finish line with 6.1 overs to spare, losing only two wickets in the process.
The opening pair of
Brandon King
and
Johnson Charles
laid the foundation for the win with a blistering 92-run partnership in just 6.4 overs.
Charles was particularly destructive, smashing 69 off a mere 26 deliveries, including 14 boundaries and five sixes.
Kyle Mayers maintained the momentum after Charles' departure, and when stand-in captain King was dismissed for 44 off 28 balls, the West Indies were comfortably placed at 130-2 with 9.1 overs remaining. Mayers remained unbeaten on 36 as the West Indies sealed the series, heading into the
T20 World Cup
, which they will co-host with the United States, with a boost of confidence.
"Happy with my own performance," King said. "I would've liked to carry my bat through the end though. It was an important 3-0 win, last series before the World Cup, so important preparation and good momentum going into the World Cup.
"Our bowling performances were very pleasing, we had consistency throughout," King added. "
Gudakesh Motie
and other different contributors. Speaks well that a lot of our main players are missing. I can't wait to meet with the other boys before the World Cup."
The West Indies squad for the tournament will be strengthened by the return of several key players who were absent from this series, including skipper
Rovman Powell
and Andre Russell.
South Africa's respectable total was largely due to the efforts of stand-in captain
Rassie van der Dussen
, who hit five sixes in his crucial innings. He shared a 77-run partnership in 8.1 overs with Wiaan Mulder for the fifth wicket. West Indies left-arm pacer Obed McCoy, who was called into the World Cup squad on Sunday to replace the injured
Jason Holder
, claimed 3-39 in his four overs. Fast bowler
Shamar Joseph
took 2-26 in four overs, while spinner Gudakesh Motie picked up 2-21 in his three overs.
Van der Dussen was candid in his assessment of the series loss, stating, "Thoroughly disappointing. Not what we had in mind coming here," he said. "From the first game they were all over us. We couldn't adapt, and today we couldn't find answers with the ball. Not happy with that.
"The chat coming into today was that you can chat all you want but have to deliver in the middle. We couldn't do that today. Time for talking is done, we'll need our experienced people coming in to take more responsibility. There's no excuse," he added.
"We were caught off guard how they played with the bat and they were better with the ball as simple as that. We were taught a few lessons."
(Inputs from AFP)
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