Top 5 performers: West Indies vs South Africa 4th T20I

West Indies beat South Africa by 21 runs in the 4^th T20I at Grenada to level the series 2-2. The final T20I will be the series decider and it will be played on Saturday, July 3.

After losing the toss and been asked to bat first, West Indies put on 167-6. Thanks to Kieron Pollard’s slog in the end which gave Windies 66 runs in the last 4 overs. Despite Quinton de Kock’s batting brilliance at the top, South Africa could manage only 146-9 after a DJ Bravo death bowling special.

Here are the Top 5 performers of the match:

Lendl Simmons – 47 (34)

Windies top order suffered with 3 single digit knocks from Evin Lewis  (7), Chris Gayle  (5) and Shimron Hetmyer (7), but it was Lendl Simmons batting brilliance that helped the West Indies sail through in the first 10 overs.

Simmons scored a 34 ball 47 with the help of 4 fours and identical number of sixes at a strike rate of 138.24. At his departure West Indies were 70/4 in 10.5 overs.

Tabraiz Shamsi – 2/13

The ICC World No.1 T20 bowler produced another bowling spell that kept the attacking West Indies in check once again. Shamsi gave away just 13 runs in 4 overs and picked 2 wickets – that of Nicholas Pooran (16) and Andre Russell (9). He dried down the run flow for the home team in the middle overs and picked the wicket of 2 slog hitters.

By the end of his bowling spell Windies were 101-6 in 16 overs.

Kieron Pollard – 51*(25) & 1/24

West Indies captain Kieron Pollard came to the team’s rescue after Shamsi’s miserly spell with a smashing knock of 24 ball half century.

Pollard hit 2 fours and 5 sixes in his knock. He hit Kagiso Rabada for 3 consecutive sixes in the 19^th over of the innings as Fabian Allen (19* in 13 balls) combined with the captain to put on a unbeaten 66 run partnership in 4.3 overs.

Allen injured his shoulder during the South Africa innings which meant Pollard had to fill in with 4 overs. The Windies skipper gave away 24 runs and got the crucial wicket of Rassie van der Dussen (6).

Quinton de Kock – 60 (43)

South African wicket-keeper batsman continued his rich run of form by scoring a 43-ball 60 with the help of 6 fours and 2 sixes. Proteas were still in the hunt until DJ Bravo removed the visiting opener.

de Kock has now scored 195 runs in the 4 T20Is at an average of 48.75. He is the leading run getter of the series and has got his runs at a strike rate of 141.30 powered by 15 fours and 8 sixes. The next highest run getter in the series so far is Evin Lewis with 126 runs.

Dwayne Bravo – 4/19

The deceptive pace of Dwayne Bravo spelled doom for the visiting team in the chase and helped Windies level the T20I series 2-2. 

Bravo got the wickets of Quinton de Kock, George Linde, Tabraiz Shamsi and Lungi Ngidi to choke South Africa in their run chase. Bravo’s 4-0-19-4 is now his best bowling figures in T20 Internationals.

Match Summary: West Indies vs South Africa 4th T20I

West Indies 167-6 in 20 overs

Lendl Simmon 47 (34) – 4 fours & 4 sixes

Kieron Pollard 51*(25) – 2 fours & 5 sixes

George Linde4-0-16-2

Tabraiz Shamsi 4-0-13-2

South Africa 146-9 in 20 overs

Quinton de Kock 60 (43) – 6 fours & 2 sixes

Aiden Markram 20 (20) – 2 fours

Andre Russell 4-0-30-2

Dwayne Bravo 4-0-19-4

West Indies won by 21 runs

Player of the Match: Kieron Pollard