SA-WI match abandoned following rain

South Africa set a new record for chasing in international T20 cricket when they scored 259 for four to beat West Indies by six wickets at Centurion on Sunday.

South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen (L) and South Africa's Aiden Markram (R) run between the wickets to make the winning run during the second T20 international cricket match between South Africa and West Indies at SuperSport Park in Centurion on March 26, 2023. Photo: AFP

Johnson Charles smashed a 39-ball century for the visitors as they posted an imposing 258 for five, the joint sixth-highest total in T20 internationals.

However, Quinton de Kock responded with 100 from 44 balls, a maiden T20 century, while fellow opener Reeza Hendricks hit 68.

West Indies' Johnson Charles (L) celebrates after scoring a century (100 runs) during the second T20 international cricket match between South Africa and West Indies at SuperSport Park in Centurion on March 26, 2023. Photo: AFP

Captain Aiden Markram (38) saw his side home with seven balls to spare.

The previous highest run chase was Bulgaria's 246 to beat Serbia in 2022 while Australia made 245 to beat New Zealand in 2018.

Expectations were high ahead of the World Cup in England but upon the team’s return home yesterday, captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza spoke of his disappointment of not meeting their own expectations in the coveted tournament, although he lauded the poise from the youngsters.

Aside from Shakib Al Hasan, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Sabbir Rahman and Liton Das, all of whom are currently on vacation, the rest of the Tigers departed from Heathrow Airport on July 6.

Following their quarterfinal exit in the 2015 edition, the Tigers left for the ongoing World Cup with high hopes of reaching the semifinals for the first time in history.

The accumulation of experience and the fact that the team won their first multi-nation tournament just ahead of the World Cup during a tri-series on their tour of Ireland, where they beat West Indies in the final, provided the team with impetus going into the showpiece event.

Expectations were further justified when they began their campaign with a win against South Africa. However, results did not go their way when it mattered most. Given the format, where all ten teams played each other in the group stage, it was always going to be a tough ask. Yet, the Tigers finished well below the expected mark, ending in eighth place after having targeted a semifinal berth.

“We went there with expectations and from that point of view it is disappointing. If we look at the whole World Cup and how we played, if some things went in our favour, we could have played the semifinals. Overall it was a positive experience but at the same time, the expectations were higher and from that point of view, it was disappointing,” Mashrafe told reporters yesterday upon his arrival at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

The close defeat to New Zealand and the washed out match against Sri Lanka certainly played a hand but Mashrafe took responsibility nevertheless.

“As a captain, when the team does not fulfil expectations, then I will have to accept criticism. Of course I am taking full responsibility and at the same time it is normal that there will be criticism anywhere in the world after a big tournament,” the inspirational skipper added.

While his disappointment was evident when he suggested that ‘the chips were down’ in crucial matches, Mashrafe spoke highly of the youngsters’ efforts and said they should not be blamed, adding that some could match the levels of the current Big Five.

“It’s always the young players who are particularly blamed. Those who are seniors now, they were young once and not as consistent as they are now. The youngsters now are playing with a level of consistency and under a kind of intense pressure that we did not have to face when we were young,” Mashrafe said, referencing younger players like Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehedi, Mustafizur and Liton Das.

“So, they cannot be blamed unilaterally. They tried very hard. It is a big stage and it is not easy to perform here. I am hoping that with more experience they will reach the levels shown by Shakib, Tamim, Mushfiqur and Riyad.”

Lack of consistency played a key role for the captain in their campaign, which could have ended differently. However, Shakib Al Hasan performed magnificently throughout the tournament and the captain duly credited his star all-rounder.

“Shakib was outstanding. Shakib, Mushfiqur [Rahim], Mustafizur and Saifuddin played outstanding cricket. The others performed less consistently. At some particular points we needed luck to be on our side but that did not happen.”

Aiden Markram hit a century on his return to Test cricket but the West Indies mounted a strong fightback on the first day of the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park on Tuesday.

Markram made 115 in a South Africa total of 314 for eight.

Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph spearheaded the West Indian bowling attack, taking three for 60.

South Africa looked set to take full control when they reached 221 for one after new captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and decided to bat.

But they lost seven more wickets before the close while adding another 93 runs, with the West Indian bowlers finding swing, lateral movement and more consistency with the old ball.

An opening partnership of 141 between Markram and former captain Dean Elgar (71) was followed by a stand of 80 between Markram and new cap Tony de Zorzi.

The left-handed De Zorzi was looking comfortable before he was run out for 28.

De Zorzi punched a ball from Joseph through the covers and completed a confortable two runs.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul made a good sliding stop and De Zorzi was sent back after setting off for an unlikely third.

Chanderpaul's throw was off target but wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva cleverly flicked the ball into the stumps.

Bavuma, on his first appearance as South Africa's first Black African captain, was leg before wicket for nought to a full ball from Joseph two balls later and Joseph struck again when he yorked Markram.

Markram was dropped last year after a poor run of form in which he went 15 innings without a half-century, with only two scores above 30. He had not made a hundred since scoring 108 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in February 2021.

After a watchful start, he was soon into his stride, hitting 18 fours in a 174-ball innings, studded by his trademark cover drives and powerful pull shots.

Elgar, who was stripped of the captaincy after South Africa were heavily beaten on tours of England and Australia, made 71 off 118 balls.

Two of Elgar's 11 fours were ramp shots over the slips but in trying to hit a third boundary in that fashion he fell to a leaping catch by Jermaine Blackwood at third man off Joseph.

Blackwood earlier put down a sharp chance at third slip off Kyle Mayers when he was on 10.

The South African team showed five changes from the side that played in the third Test of a losing series in Australia in January with De Zorzi and fast bowler Gerald Coetzee both handed their first caps.

The West Indies made one change from the side that beat Zimbabwe by an innings and four runs in Bulawayo earlier this month.

Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, who took 13 wickets in the win in Bulawayo, had a back injury and was replaced by fast bowler Kemar Roach.

South Africa women skipper Dan Van Niekerk sets a new cricket world record following her team's crushing victory against West Indies in the ICC Women’s World Cup.

She finished with figures of 4/0 in 3.2 overs as the Proteas bowled out the Caribbean team for a paltry 48 in just 25.2 overs.

She became the first bowler -male or female- to take four wickets without conceding a single run in the history of limited overs cricket.

Chedean Nation, with 26, was the only West Indies batsman to make double figures as South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk became the first bowler, in either men's or women's international cricket, to take four wickets without conceding a run in her final figures.

The damage to the West Indies' hopes came early in the innings as Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail reduced the Caribbean side to 16 for five.

Kapp took four for 14 and van Niekerk an astonishing four for none in 3.2 overs.

"It was quite surreal, if I could script it I would not have written it like that," said van Niekerk. "We had our plans coming into the game and it worked to the tee.

"I'm really proud of the bowlers, especially my two opening bowlers, they were world-class."

To make matters even worse for the West Indies, they dropped both South Africa openers off successive balls.

Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt needed no second invitation as they saw South Africa to victory in a mere 6.2 overs, with a match scheduled for 100 overs lasting just 31.4 in total.

"I think their bowling was very good, it's a good bowling line-up, they have a lot of strong players. But from our side, we just needed to execute our skills much better," said West Indies opener Hayley Matthews, out for four. "The wicket had a little grass on it, but the openers bowled really well today."

West Indies' total the lowest score at a World Cup since Denmark were bowled out for 47 by England in 1993, although Pakistan still hold the record after managing just 27 against Australia in 1997.