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West Indies fire warning shots at World Cup rivals by thrashing South Africa

The Windies completed a 3-0 sweep of their T20I series against South Africa

Published: Mon 27 May 2024, 8:00 PM

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  • AFP

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West Indies players celebrate a wicket. — X

West Indies players celebrate a wicket. — X

The West Indies are brimming with confidence ahead of the T20 World Cup after completing a 3-0 sweep of their T20I series with South Africa after an eight wicket crushing of the Proteas at Sabina Park on Sunday.

Set 164 to win, the Caribbean side raced to the target with 6.1 overs to spare and for the loss of just two wickets.


Openers Brandon King and Johnson Charles put on 92 in 6.4 overs with Charles in particular punishing the tourists as he battered 69 off just 26 balls.

Charles hit 14 of those 26 balls for boundaries including five sixes.

Kyle Mayers came in and kept up the momentum and when stand-in skipper King departed for 44 (28 balls), West Indies were 130-2 with 9.1 overs remaining.

Mayers ended on 36 not out as the West Indies ensured they head into the T20 World Cup, which they will co-host with the United States, in confident mood.

"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 feature several players who missed this series such as skipper Rovman Powell and Andre Russell.

South Africa had their stand-in captain Rassie van der Dussen to credit for even setting a half-decent target.

Van der Dussen hit five sixes in his crucial innings, putting on 77 in 8.1 overs in a fifth wicket partnership with Wiaan Mulder.

West Indies left-arm pace-man Obed McCoy, called into the World Cup squad on Sunday to replace the injured Jason Holder, took 3-39 in four overs.

Fast bowler Shamar Joseph took 2-26 in four overs while Motie took for 2-21 in his three overs.

Van der Dussen was unsparing in his analysis of the series loss.

"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."

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