West Indies registered a 28-run victory over South Africa in the first of the three-match T20I series at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica on Friday (May 24). Stand-in captain Brandon King looked in sensational touch in the T20I series opener after the South African skipper for the series Rassie van der Dussen won the toss and chose to field first.
King, who won the Player of the Match, took the depleted South African bowling attack to task and stamped his authority at Sabina Park, hosting its first international game in almost 24 months. King lost his opening partner Johnson Charles on the fourth delivery of the fourth over.
However, it didn't restrain him in any way as he made full use of the powerplay restrictions early on. King's swashbuckling knock of 79 off 45 balls helped the Windies put the pressure back on the tourists. The West Indian skipper struck six fours and as many boundaries during his knock and batted at an impressive strike rate of 175.55.
King's departure on the last ball of the 11th over helped the Proteas claw their way back into the contest as they didn't allow any other West Indian batter to break the shackles at any stage of the game.
Ottneil Baartman (3/26) and allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo (3/28) exercised plenty of discipline with the ball in hand and kept West Indies limited to 175 for the loss of eight wickets.
The chase didn't quite go South Africa's way and they were behind the eight ball from the beginning. They lost Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickleton and Matthew Breetzke in quick succession and were tottering at 35/3 inside the powerplay.
Unfazed by the wickets tumbling at the other end, Reeza Hendricks kept playing his strokes and gave King plenty of headaches in the field. Hendricks smashed six fours and as many maximums on his way to 87 off 51 balls and fell on the fourth delivery of the 20th over.
Left-arm orthodox bowler Gudakesh Motie was the stand-out bowler for the Men in Maroon as he bagged figures of 3/25. Pacer Matthew Forde also claimed a three-wicket haul and delighted the home crowd.
