South Africa vs West Indies, 1st T20I at Centurion, Mar 25 2023, West Indies tour of South Africa

RESULT
1st T20I, Centurion, March 25, 2023, West Indies tour of South Africa
(11/11 ov) 131/8
(10.3/11 ov, T:132) 132/7

West Indies won by 3 wickets (with 3 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
43* (18)
rovman-powell
Match centre 
Scores: Chandan Duorah | Comms: Shashwat Kumar
Scorecard summary
South Africa 131/8(11 overs)
West Indies 132/7(10.3 overs)

6:25pm Right. That will be that from us for tonight. Thanks for sticking around earlier in the day when the rain fell, although this game certainly ensured that that downpour was not the lasting image today. These two teams will be at it again tomorrow, at this very venue, with South Africa hoping to level the series. Until next time, this is me (Shashwat) signing off on behalf of Chandan and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo! Goodbye, goodnight and take care!

Rovman Powell, the West Indies captain is also the Player of the Match: I was disappointed with the way I got out in the ODIs. Just trying to bat through the tough periods. Today, the first ball I was respectful and I tried to push it around. A lot of guys in the team are used to the T10 format and that helped us. The ball travels so nicely here and we knew that 130 is gettable. All we needed was for two batters to bat long. We played a lot of shots but there are still periods where you have to push it around. You can't keep hitting good bowlers for sixes. (On plans for tomorrow) We just have to do the basics right. It is important to get wickets with the new ball and that is the only way to stop a strong South African batting line-up.

Aiden Markram, South Africa captain: (Where things went wrong) It was always going to go down to the wire. Starting off with the bat and ball, we let ourselves down. To take it down to the last over after the start they had was a great effort by the bowlers. Tomorrow, hopefully we can come back and start a lot better. At a venue like this, the ball flies. We always knew we needed a lot of runs on the board. We would have taken 130 at the start but I still think we could have started better. Plenty of positives we can take. Lots of bowlers did excellently today. It will be a fresh day tomorrow, a fresh start and guys who did not do well today can come back tomorrow.

Bacha Khan : "Rovman Powell is such a great hitter of the ball, I truly enjoy his hitting when he is in the mood. hats off to him "

6:12pm An extraordinarily entertaining game of cricket that ebbed, flowed and ultimately tilted towards the West Indies. Skipper Powell played a major role, starring with an unbeaten 43, which came off just 18 balls. Charles, King and Pooran also came up with crucial cameos and ensured that the West Indies stayed ahead of the required run-rate throughout their innings. There was a slight wobble towards the end as Magala and Nortje tightened the screws in the 9th and 10th overs. But Powell held his nerve to ensure that he took his team past the finish line.

South Africa might not want to read too much into this contest, although they might not be pleased with how they bowled at the start and in the middle phases. Fortuin conceded 42 in two overs, Shamsi went for 27 in his two, and Parnell gave away 25 runs in the nine balls he bowled. Against a power-packed batting unit, the hosts would want their bowlers to stand up when these teams meet next.

10.3
1
Parnell to Powell, 1 run

Powell wins it! Full delivery on middle and leg stump. Powell lets the ball come to him before calmly tucking it off his toes to seal the deal! West Indies take a 1-0 lead in this three-match series!

Scores level now

10.2
6
Parnell to Powell, SIX runs

Powell smacks it into the stands! Dug into the track outside off stump and this sits up nicely for Powell! He waits in his crease and pummels it over deep square leg!

10.2
1w
Parnell to Powell, 1 wide

wide yorker that goes a little awry and is fired outside the tramlines on the off side. Powell can't reach it and the umpire has no qualms in calling it a wide

10.1
Parnell to Powell, no run

Short and wide outside off stump. Powell swings like a rusty gate and gets nowhere close to the ball

Square leg, third man, point and extra cover in the circle

Eight needed off the final over. Parnell to bowl. Powell on strike. What a climax to a thoroughly entertaining game!

end of over 109 runs • 2 wickets
WI: 124/7CRR: 12.40 RRR: 9.00 • Need 9 from 6b
Roston Chase4 (2b 1x4)
Rovman Powell36 (15b 1x4 4x6)
Sisanda Magala 2-0-21-3
Anrich Nortje 3-0-17-1
9.6
4
Magala to Chase, FOUR runs

and Chase top-edges it for four! Short on leg stump again. Chase continues swiping and this time, gets a top-edge that flies over the keeper's head and bounces away into the fence!

Big ball coming up

9.5
Magala to Chase, no run

is that a hat-trick for Magala? South Africa go upstairs! Drama at Centurion! Dug into the track on middle and off stump. This one, much like the previous two balls, hurries onto the batter a lot quicker than he expects. Chase has a swish at it and seems to miss as the ball pings off the forearm and nestles into backward point's palms. Magala demands that South Africa take the review but replays confirm that there was no bat or glove involved!

Right then. Magala is on a hat-trick now, and he has Chase in his sights

9.4
W
Magala to Hosein, OUT

Magala has two in two! Oh my! Is this game turning? Back of a length delivery just outside off stump that rushes onto Akeal. He looks to heave it over the leg side but because he is so late on the stroke, he can only top edge it. de Kock calls early, settles himself and holds onto it!

Akeal Hosein c †de Kock b Magala 0 (1b 0x4 0x6 2m) SR: 0

Akeal Hosein walks out to the middle. Mid off is up in the circle, third man is back on the fence

9.3
W
Magala to Smith, OUT

knocks him over! Magala strikes back! Zing bails everywhere! Length delivery angled into middle and leg stump. Smith has a mow across the line but it looks like he is late on the stroke. The ball breezes past the bat and thunders into the top of leg stump!

Odean Smith b Magala 5 (5b 1x4 0x6 9m) SR: 100
9.2
4
Magala to Smith, FOUR runs

shot! Very full delivery on middle and off stump. Smith shimmies around his crease, manufactures room and creams it past extra cover for four!

9.1
1
Magala to Powell, 1 run

low full toss on middle and off stump. Powell clears his front leg and powers it down the ground for a single

Magala to bowl the penultimate over. Another tight over, and the West Indies might start feeling the pinch. Magala has a reputation of holding his nerve at the death.

end of over 93 runs • 1 wicket
WI: 115/5CRR: 12.77 RRR: 9.00 • Need 18 from 12b
Odean Smith1 (3b)
Rovman Powell35 (14b 1x4 4x6)
Anrich Nortje 3-0-17-1
Bjorn Fortuin 2-0-42-1
8.6
Nortje to Smith, no run

short and wide outside off stump. Smith leaves it alone, expecting the wide call but gets no favours from the umpire

8.5
Nortje to Smith, no run

banged into the track at the batter on leg stump. Smith gets into a tangle and seems to cop a blow on the body as the ball loops up towards de Kock

8.4
1
Nortje to Powell, 1 run

back of a length delivery outside off stump. Powell controls the bounce nicely and guides it down to third man for another single

8.3
1
Nortje to Smith, 1 run

ah, it is a back of a length delivery just outside off stump. Smith dabs it down to third man and gets off the mark

Smith on strike. Will Nortje test him out with a bouncer first up? With South Africa needing wickets, do not rule out a yorker either

8.2
1
Nortje to Powell, 1 run

back of a length delivery just outside off stump. Powell rides the bounce and runs it down to third man for a single

Smith is in at 7 but he is at the non-striker's end for now

8.1
W
Nortje to Shepherd, OUT

Shepherd has run himself out, oh my! Back of a length delivery angled into the stumps. Shepherd decides to tip and run but judges the single awfully. Parnell picks it up cleanly at extra cover and throws down the stumps at the bowler's end, with Shepherd well short of his ground

Romario Shepherd run out (Parnell) 3 (6b 0x4 0x6 14m) SR: 50

20 off 18 now. Surely the West Indies will not botch this run-chase? The crowd, meanwhile, has gone silent. You could almost hear a pin drop now

end of over 825 runs
WI: 112/4CRR: 14.00 RRR: 7.00 • Need 21 from 18b
Rovman Powell33 (12b 1x4 4x6)
Romario Shepherd3 (5b)
Bjorn Fortuin 2-0-42-1
Anrich Nortje 2-0-14-1
7.6
6
Fortuin to Powell, SIX runs

six more! There is no stopping Powell today! Half-volley outside off stump and Powell will have that for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Sits back in his crease and carves it over extra cover!

7.5
6
Fortuin to Powell, SIX runs

That. Is. Massive. Slanted into leg stump but it is again in the slot. Powell opens up his stance and clatters it over cow corner!

7.5
1w
Fortuin to Powell, 1 wide

full and wide outside off stump. Left alone by Powell and called a wide by the umpire. That looked very tight. In fact, replays indicate that that might have been inside the tramlines

7.4
1
Fortuin to Shepherd, 1 run

full delivery on middle and leg stump. Shepherd plants his front foot and heaves it down the ground for a single

Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
DA Miller
48 runs (22)
4 fours3 sixes
Productive shot
flick
15 runs
0 four1 six
Control
95%
R Powell
43 runs (18)
1 four5 sixes
Productive shot
cover drive
12 runs
0 four2 sixes
Control
79%
Best performances - bowlers
SSB Magala
O
2
M
0
R
21
W
3
ECO
10.5
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W
1W
LEGOFF
LHB
1W
SS Cottrell
O
3
M
0
R
31
W
2
ECO
10.33
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W
LEGOFF
LHB
1W
Match details
SuperSport Park, Centurion
TossWest Indies, elected to field first
Series
Season2022/23
Player Of The Match
Series resultWest Indies led the 3-match series 1-0
Match numberT20I no. 2031
Match days25 March 2023 - day (20-over match)
Umpires
TV Umpire
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Language
English
Win Probability
WI 100%
SAWI
100%50%100%SA InningsWI Innings

Over 11 • WI 132/7

West Indies won by 3 wickets (with 3 balls remaining)
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