Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph delivered a superb performance for West Indies on Tuesday night as the tourists maintained their composure to grab a seven-run victory over South Africa, wrapping up a 2-1 series triumph in the third and final T20 International at the Wanderers.
With the Proteas chasing 221 runs to win, Reeza Hendricks and Rilee Rossouw shared 80 runs for the second wicket to lay a platform for the home team.
However, Rossouw was caught behind off a Jason Holder delivery for 42 off 21 balls in the 11th over which triggered a collapse.
Hendricks went on to make a career best 83 runs off 44 deliveries, including 11 fours and two sixes, but he was removed by Joseph in the penultimate over with the Windies speedster bowling brilliantly at the death to restrict the hosts to 213/6.
Joseph returned career-best figures of 5/40, ultimately restricting the SA team’s middle order from gaining any momentum and wrapping up a hard-fought victory for his team.
Earlier, tail-ender Romario Shepherd had helped boost the touring team’s total after West Indies lost the toss and were sent in to bat.
Though none of their batters really got going, the Windies line-up produced an all-round effort initially led by Brandon King (36 off 25) and Nicholas Pooran (41 off 19). But it was Shepherd who carried them in the end.
Batting at number nine, Shepherd bashed an unbeaten 44 runs off 22 balls, hitting two fours and three sixes along the way, top-scoring for his team and helping them to 220/8.
Like their opponents did with the bat, the Proteas bowlers combined well with the ball, and while they struggled to contain the visitors, they did well to prevent them from building big partnerships.
Fast bowlers Anrich Nortje (2/36), Lungi Ngidi (2/45) and Kagiso Rabada (2/50) spearheaded the attack, taking two wickets each, but their efforts were not enough as Joseph eventually stole the show.
South Africa will now face Netherlands in two crunch ODI matches on Friday and Sunday, needing to win both matches to give themselves a chance of qualifying automatically for the World Cup in India later this year.
