ST GEORE’S (GRENADA), July 4: Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock shared a 127-run second-wicket partnership which set up South Africa for a 25-run win over the West Indies in the fifth Twenty20 and a 3-2 win in the series.
Markram made a career-best 70, beating his previous best of 63, and de Kock kept up an outstanding run of form with 60 from 42 balls as South Africa reached 168-4 after winning the toss on Saturday.
Wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi took 1-11 from his four overs and Kagiso Rabada dismissed Dwayne Bravo and Nicholas Pooran with consecutive balls in the 19th over as the Proteas restricted the West Indies to 143-9 to claim their first T20 series win in two years. It was also the first T20 series win for captain Temba Bavuma and coach Mark Boucher.
Shamsi showed why he is the world’s top-ranked Twenty20 bowler, taking seven wickets in the series at an average of 11.4.
South African bowlers have performed well throughout the series, led by Shamsi. The fast bowler Lungi Ngidi took 3-32 on Saturday and young medium pacer Wiaan Mulder, playing his first match of the series and only the second of his career, took 2-31 including the wickets of Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell with consecutive balls.
South Africa came into the series ranked sixth in the world in T20s, taking on the defending world champion at home. The series win gives them confidence for the T20 World Cup this year. (AP)
