West Indies began the T20I with a brilliant win over hosts South Africa in a rain-curtailed match played at SuperSport Park, Centurion on 25 March 2023.

The match was reduced to 11 overs a side due to rain with field restrictions of 3 overs. West Indies’ newly appointed captain Rovman Powell won the toss and decided to field first. At the end of the first 3 overs, South Africa scored 30 for 2.

South Africa looked in trouble losing 6 wickets with only 79 runs on board. David Miller showed his class with an attacking display of batting hitting boundaries at will along with Sisanda Magala. Both of them kept the pressure on West Indies’ bowling as they put on 47 runs for the 7^th wicket.

Thanks to Miller’s brilliance, South Africa scored 131 for 8 in 11 overs. For West Indies, Sheldon Cottrell and Odean Smith grabbed 2 wickets, and Alazzari Joseph, Akeal Hossain, and Romario Speharad took 1 wicket each.

4 bowlers can bowl 2 overs each while 1 bowler 3 overs. Sheldon Cottrell bowled 3 overs and gave away 31 runs. Akeal, Joseph, Speharad, and Odean Smith bowled 2 overs each.

South Africa lost the match

Kyle Mayers and Brandon King began the innings on an aggressive note scoring 17 runs from 5 deliveries before Mayers was dismissed. Despite losing wickets, West Indies raced away to 46 for 2.

Charles showed his intent putting pressure on South African bowlers before Anrich Nortje took a stunning catch to dismiss Johnson Charles. The incident took place in the 6^th over as Charles hit a big shot before Nortje had the presence of mind to catch it.

@AnrichNortje02 Become The Superman What a catch 🔥 @DelhiCapitals #SAvsWIt20 📹 by FanCode pic.twitter.com/S3JntWA8qd

— Mr Perfect 🤟🏻 (@starmanjeet007) March 25, 2023

The match ebbed and flowed as West Indies kept losing wickets at regular intervals. West Indies’ newly appointed T20I captain showed his with an unbeaten 43 off 18 deliveries with 1 four and 5 sixes that helped West Indies to clinch the match by 3 wickets with 3 balls to spare. Sisanda Magala was the pick of bowlers for South Africa with 3 for 21 in 2 overs.

Anrich Nortje bowled the full quota of 3 overs giving away just 17 runs and 1 wicket. Fortuin bowled 2 overs and gave away 42 runs with 1 wicket, Shamsi 1 for 27 in 2 overs, and Wayne Parnell 25 runs in 1.3 overs. Rovman Powell was named the player of the match for his match-winning knock.

With this win, West Indies takes a 1-0 lead in the series. The second match will take place on 26 March at SuperSport Park, Centurion.

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