Skipper Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits fired South Africa to a crushing 10-wicket win over the West Indies in their opening match of the Women's T20 World Cup on Friday.

Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba set up the win with bowling figures of 4-29 to restrict 2016 champions West Indies to 118-6 in Dubai.

Wolvaardt, who hit 59, and Brits, who made 57, then took charge to steer last year's finalists to 119-0 in 17.5 overs.

Wolvaardt was tested early in her knock by the West Indies bowlers but once she found rhythm, the right-handed opener reached her 50 in 45 balls.

"Not that easy," Wolvaardt said of her performance in the extreme heat of Dubai. "One of the harder knocks I have had physically, especially after fielding first."

Brits also raised her half-ton in 45 balls and ended her knock with six boundaries.

Wolvaardt survived reprieves on five and 33 -- on both occasions a return catch dropped by the bowler and on the first West Indies' Zaida James getting cut on her jaw when the ball ricocheted off the hand.

James, a left-arm spinner who shared the new ball with Chinelle Henry, left the field with a swollen jaw after just bowling one ball of her first over and never returned.

Earlier, the West Indies suffered from regular wicket-fall and struggled to put up a fighting total despite an unbeaten 44 from number-three batter Stafanie Taylor.

Marizanne Kapp, a medium-fast bowler, struck first with the wicket of skipper Hayley Matthews, out for 10, and soon Mlaba sent back Qiana Joseph, for four.

Mlaba, named player of the match, kept the batters in a spin with her change of pace and angle and took two wickets in two overs to flatten the West Indian batting.

Kapp returned figures of 2-14 including the wicket of Deandra Dottin, who reversed her retirement decision for this edition of the tournament.

"It was a very disappointing game and not the way we wanted to start," said Matthews. "We have a game in two days' time and we have to bounce back quickly."

West Indies face Scotland on Sunday at the same venue, called the ring of fire due to the floodlights all around the ground. South Africa next take on England in Sharjah on Monday.