The West Indies triumphed with an eight-wicket victory over South Africa on Tuesday, sealing a 3-0 T20 International series sweep in a rain-affected match at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.
Shai Hope led the charge with an unbeaten 42 off 24 balls, supported by Nicholas Pooran’s rapid 35 off 13 deliveries. Set a revised target of 116 in 13 overs due to the Duckworth-Lewis method, they reached 116/2 in just 9.2 overs.
South Africa batted first in the rain-shortened game, posting 108-4 in their 13 overs. Shepherd’s disciplined bowling, which yielded 2-14 in two overs, played a critical role in curbing South Africa’s scoring.
The West Indies chased down the revised target with ease, highlighting their aggressive batting approach by hitting nine sixes and seven fours, accumulating 82 runs in boundaries.
Romario Shepherd, named man of the match for his economical bowling, expressed his contentment with the team’s performance, especially after their previous loss to South Africa in the T20 World Cup.
“To come and clean sweep the team which knocked us out of the World Cup was great,” Shepherd was quoted as saying by AFP.
West Indies captain Roston Chase praised his team’s aggressive strategy in the shortened game.
“We wanted to win the series 3-0. In a shortened game, we want guys to go and play their natural game. The guys came out and played brilliantly,” Chase said.
South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram acknowledged their difficulties but remained hopeful for future improvement.
“Tough one today,” Markram admitted. “Probably got the tougher of the conditions. That being said, we can improve as a team. It’s going to take a little bit of time; there’s a bit we can take from it, but it’s never great to lose.”
The series win signifies a resurgence for the West Indies, displaying resilience and skill to dominate South Africa and complete the clean sweep on home soil.