Thu 29 Jan ’26 by KRISSANIA YOUNG
South Africa 225 for 3 (de Kock 115, Rickelton 77*; Hosein 2-41) beating West Indies 221 for 4 (Hetmyer 75, Rutherford 57*; Maharaj 2-22) with seven wickets
West Indies suffered a seven-wicket defeat to South Africa in the second T20I at Centurion on Thursday, with the home side taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Despite setting a significant target for the Proteas, a break in the middle overs proved costly for a West Indian team lacking strike bowlers.
The Caribbean side started fairly normally, scoring 29 runs from the first four overs before the wicket of returning captain Shai Hope (4). Shimron Hetmyer then repaid his promotion to No. 3 by sharing in a 126-run partnership (from 62 balls) with Brandon King.
King targeted Anrich Nortje in the 5th, at the rate of 24 runs, hitting three 4s and two 6s, as West Indies ended the powerplay at 68 for 1. Hetmyer had his chance at Nortje in the 10th, which he took in the form of two 6s and two 4s. They kept the run rate above 11 and reached drinks at 115 for 1.
King fell to Kagiso Rabada for 49 late in the 12th, and West Indies scored just nine off the 13 deliveries that followed in the Hetmyer/Powell partnership. Rovman Powell played off Keshav Maharaj for an 8-ball two to start the 15th before the orthodox spinner had Hetmyer caught for a 42-ball top score of 75 four deliveries later, leaving the West Indies 145 for 4.
Sherfane Rutherford (57* off 24) and Romario Shepherd (17* off 10) took over the 16th to catch their eye before muscling 68 off the last four overs in a 76-run 32-ball unbeaten stand, which included five sixes and six fours, taking West Indies to 221 for 4 from their allotment.
In defense, West Indies found the early breakthrough that eluded them in the first T20I. Matthew Forde removed captain Aiden Markram (15) thanks to a clever catch from Hetmyer to leave South Africa 27 for 1 in the 3rd over.
However, Ryan Rickelton joined De Kock at the crease, and their general left-handedness made Windies reluctant to field their new ball specialist, orthodox spinner Akeal Hosein.
Yet there was no fear in De Kock’s battle. The 33-year-old launched ten 6s and made six 4s en route to a quite astonishingly stylish, not to mention controlled, 115 from 49 balls. He and Rickelton, who was dropped by Jayden Seales at short third on 17, scored 162 off 72 balls to take the game out of the West Indies.
After being brought into the attack in the 11th, Hosein finally removed de Kock in the 15th with 33 to get from 33rd. He also accounted for Dewald Brevis (4) 12 deliveries later, but Rickelton’s unbeaten 77 ensured South Africa secured victory at 225 for 3 with 15 deliveries to spare.
#CaribbeanCricket.com #independent #voice #West #Indian #cricket