CENTURION: South Africa set a new record for chasing in international T20 cricket when they scored 259 for four to beat West Indies by six wickets at Centurion on Sunday.
Johnson Charles smashed a 39-ball century for the visitors as they posted an imposing 258 for five, the joint sixth-highest total in T20 internationals. However, Quinton de Kock responded with 100 from 44 balls, a maiden T20 century, while fellow opener Reeza Hendricks hit 68.
Captain Aiden Markram (38) saw his side home with seven balls to spare. The previous highest run chase was Bulgaria’s 246 to beat Serbia in 2022 while Australia made 245 to beat New Zealand in 2018.
Quinton de Kock's first T20I hundred – and joint sixth-fastest in the format off 43 balls – helped South Africa complete the highest successful chase in T20Is. De Kock's knock innings came in the second half of a run-fest on a belter of a pitch at SuperSport Park.
In total, 517 runs were scored, the most in a T20 game, including 35 sixes, the most in a T20 international and two fewer than the most in any T20 match. Johnson Charles was responsible for 11 of those sixes as he blasted his way to the joint second-fastest T20I century, and fastest by a West Indian, as they posted their highest score in the format. In the end, it was not enough.
It was a tough day for bowlers on both sides, who struggled to get their lengths right. Only Kagiso Rabada conceded at under ten runs an over and there were poor disciplines on both sides, especially by West Indies.
They bowled 10 wides and a no-ball compared to South Africa's four wides and may see that as an important difference in the final result. The series decider will be played about 40 kilometres away, at the Wanderers, on Tuesday.
South Africa won the toss
West Indies Innings
King c Hendricks b Parnell 1
Mayers c Hendricks b Jansen 51
Charles b Jansen 118
Pooran † c Markram b Jansen 2
Powell (c) c † Kock b Parnell 28
Romario Shepherd not out 41
Odean Smith not out 11
Extras: (lb 2, w 4) 6
Total: 20 Ov (RR: 12.90) 258/5
Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Brandon King, 0.3 ov), 2-137 (Kyle Mayers, 10.1 ov), 3-139 (Nicholas Pooran, 10.4 ov), 4-179 (Johnson Charles, 13.6 ov), 5-236 (Rovman Powell, 18.2 ov)
Bowling: Wayne Parnell 4-0-43-2, Aiden Markram 2-0-22-0, Kagiso Rabada 4-0-39-0, Marco Jansen 4-0-52-3, Sisanda Magala 4-0-67-0, Tabraiz Shamsi 2-0-33-0
South Africa Innings
De Kock † c †Pooran b Reifer 100
Hendricks c †Pooran b Powell 68
Rossouw c King b Smith 16
Miller c Shepherd b Holder 0
Aiden Markram (c) not out 38
Heinrich Klaasen not out 16
Extras: (nb 1, w 10) 11
Total: 18.5 Ov (RR: 13.75) 259/4
Fall of wickets: 1-152 (Quinton de Kock, 10.5 ov), 2-180 (Rilee Rossouw, 11.6 ov), 3-193 (Reeza Hendricks, 12.4 ov), 4-216 (David Miller, 15.4 ov)
Bowling: Akeal Hosein 2-0-33-0, Sheldon Cottrell 1-0-29-0, Jason Holder 4-0-48-1, Romario Shepherd 3.5-0-44-0, Odean Smith 2-0-36-1, Raymon Reifer 4-0-42-1, Rovman Powell 2-0-27-1
Result: South Africa won by 6 wickets
Player of the match: Quinton de Kock
Umpires: Holdstock, Allahudien