PAARL: Aiden Markram’s 86* from 47 balls and George Linde’s clinical three-wicket haul sealed a commanding nine-wicket victory for South Africa over West Indies in the opening T20I fixture of the three-match series here at the Boland Park.
South Africa chased down 174 run target with ease, losing only one wicket with 13 balls to spare.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius and skipper Aiden Markram made light work of the chase with a 83 run opening stand in 7.5 overs.
Pretorius eye catching 44 from 28 balls featured half a dozen boundaries and a maximum.
After losing a wicket, Markram and Ryan Rickelton guided South Africa in the chase, forging an unbeaten 93* stand that took them over the line.Â
The skipper struck three sixes and nine fours in his 86 from 47, whereas Ryan Rickelton made 40 off 32 with the help of two sixes and a boundary.
For West Indies, Roston Chase remained the solitary wicket taker.
Earlier, Shimron Hetmyer’s brisk half-century powered West Indies to a strong total
Put into bat first, West Indies racked up 173-7 at the end of their allotted 20 overs.
Brandon King and Johnson Charles provided the visitors a rapid start, adding 39 in first 3.5 overs.
However, once Keshav Maharaj was introduced into the attack, things slowed down for West Indies.
The ace left-arm spinner provided South Africa with the first breakthrough, castling Charles for 13. He then followed it up by dismissing Sherfane Rutherford.
Meanwhile, King, who was looking good, also sent back to leave his side in a mess. The right-hander made 27 off 17, striking five fours and a six.
As a result, West Indies were reduced to 50-3 in 5.4 overs.
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After a vivid start from South Africa bowlers, they held back the West Indies batters till the halfway stage of the game.
At one stage, West Indies were 95-5 in 11.1 overs before Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell steadied the innings with a 74-run stand.
The pair brought the total to 169 in 19.2 overs, with Hetmyer caught on the boundary rope, thanks to an excellent catch from Dewald Breivis.
The soutpaw tonked three sixes and four boundaries in his 48 from 32 balls.
Meanwhile, Powell remained unbeaten on 29 from 25, striking a six and two fours.
For South Africa, George Linde starred with a three-wicket haul while Corbin Bosch and Keshav Maharaj took a brace.
Playing XIs
South Africa: 1 Aiden Markram (capt), 2 Lhuan-dre Pretorius, 3 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 Rubin Hermann, 6 Jason Smith, 7 George Linde, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 Kwena Maphaka
West Indies: 1 Brandon King, 2 Roston Chase (capt), 3 Johnson Charles (wk), 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Rovman Powell, 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Jason Holder, 9 Matthew Forde, 10 Jayden Seales, 11 Akeal Hosein