Windies suffered yet another disappointing loss in the T20 World Cup 2021, going down by eight wickets to South Africa in their second Group 1 game in Dubai on Tuesday. The Calypso Kings were once again outclassed by an opposition and are now vulnerable to face a Super 12 exit.
Having gone down to England at the same venue on Saturday after being bundled out for just 55, WI made a better batting effort, scoring 143/8 batting first. But that was still a score well below par for the surface. It was another grim reminder of their recent struggles in conditions that aren’t so flat to consistently hit sixes.
This was most applicable to opener Lendl Simmons, who played one of the slowest innings in the history of T20 World Cups. Despite starting off in the powerplay, he took 35 balls for his knock of 16. It was painful viewing as Simmons simply could not get any flow or rhythm into his innings.
Still, West Indies kept floating and reached 65/0 at the end of the 10th over thanks to in-form left-hander Evin Lewis, who played a magnificent knock of 56 off 35 deliveries, including three fours and six maximums. His aggressive innings ensured that, at least for a brief period, West Indies’ progress wasn’t held back significantly by Simmons’ painstaking vigil.
But then, the left-hander got out as he was forced to try and take one risk too many just to keep his team’s innings going. And that is when the negative influence of Simmons’ innings came to light the most. After Lewis, young gun Nicholas Pooran (12) fell quickly as well.
Simmons himself got out in the next over but by that time. The damage had been caused irrevocably. With next to no momentum in their innings, West Indies lost a flurry of wickets thereafter and finished about 20 runs short. Skipper Kieron Pollard (26) hit a few lusty blows but that was never going to be enough with so much ground conceded to the opposition already.
Keshav Maharaj (2/24) bowled an impressive spell, which was backed up by tight spells from pacers Kagiso Rabada (1/27), Anrich Nortje (1/14) and even part-timer Aiden Markram (0/22). But perhaps the most encouraging performer with the ball for Proteas was Dwaine Pretorious, who finished with 3/17 despite bowling his two overs at the death.
In the run-chase, South Africa didn’t begin all that swiftly, losing captain Temba Bavuma (2) to a run-out. Then in a slow burner of a phase, Reeza Hendricks (39) and Rassie van der Dussen (43*) made sure there are no further hiccups for their team, even if they aren’t always ahead of the asking rate.
It allowed South Africa to keep wickets in hand for the final 10 overs where they could stretch West Indies’ weaker suit – their bowling. Dussen chose to cut down risks and bat deep, while Hendricks still aimed for the boundary from time and time and kept the pressure at bay.
Once Hendricks fell, the role of an aggressor was taken up by the in-form Markram, whose magnificent 51 off just 26 balls made it a no-contest for South Africa. Markram’s blitz, including two fours and four sixes, also allowed Dussen to keep batting sedately. Together, they took the Proteas home with eight wickets intact and ten balls left in the innings.
Outside of left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein’s (1/27) powerplay exploits, West Indies bowling lacked the skill and depth required to defend a total of 143.
Brief scores
West Indies 143/8 in 20 overs (Lewis 56, Pollard 26; Pretorious 3/17) lost to South Africa 144/2 in 18.2 overs (Markram 51*, van der Dussen 43*; Hosein 1/27) by 8 wickets
