South Africa tour of West Indies 2021 News

West Indies bounced back in a perfect manner against South Africa in Grenada after beating the visitors by 21 runs in the fourth encounter to level the five-match series 2-2. South Africa who were handed a target of 168 runs in 20 overs were restricted to 146/9, courtesy some fine piece of bowling from Dwayne Bravo. Bravo scalped a four-wicket haul and returned with figures of 4/19 in 4 overs eventually. The Proteas never really looked in control as they lost wickets at regular intervals with only four players crossing the double-figure mark. Wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock though showed some resistance as he chipped in with 60 off 43 in the innings but no other batsman made any valuable contribution and the side eventually suffered a defeat in this clash. Apart from Bravo, Andre Russell picked up a couple of wickets while Chris Gayle, Obed McCoy and captain Kieron Pollard had a wicket apiece to their name. Earlier, the hosts too had a disappointing start as they lost some early wickets but it was Lendl Simmons who tried to steady the ship for the side from one end. But the opener was eventually dismissed for 47 off 34 and Simmons departure saw a couple of quick wickets falling down again. West Indies were struggling at 101/6 when Pollard along with Fabian Allen took on the onus and hammered the South African bowlers all around the park. Pollard remained unbeaten at 25-ball 51 while Allen chipped in with 19* off 13 to take their team to 167/6 in 20 overs. For South Africa, it was George Linde and Shamsi who impressed with the ball. Both the bowlers picked up two wickets each for the side. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma expressed disappointment on giving away runs in the death overs. “I think looking at our bowling performances, we didn't hit the right straps. 60 odd runs in the last 4 put us on the back foot. Our spinners came to the fore and set it up for us. But at the death, we won't like to put up a display like this. Shamsi has been brilliant. George has been good,” he said after the match. West Indies captain Pollard who scored a vital fifty during the course hailed the bowlers. “In a game like this, you have to come out and win. Tried to give myself a chance and be there at the end. We speak about batting down till the end. The batters will continue rotating the strike. We were right into the game. We needed a few wickets in the PP. Chris picking up that wicket helped. Bravo and McCoy have been doing well for us. A total team effort. Dwayne has been phenomenal,” he said. The two sides will now lock horns in the fifth and deciding T20I on Saturday at the same venue.

In the last two games, something seemed to hit West Indies, as they were not able to replicate their performance of the first game with the bat. Now, having lost the second game by nine runs and the third one by just a solitary run, the onus is now on the World T20 Champions to come out in the fourth match, not only to save the series but also to showcase who is the boss. For the Proteas, Temba Bavuma has been an inspirational leader. While his performances with the bat might not have been great, but they were certainly important. What has been more than phenomenal is bowling changes and the use of Anrich Nortje, the prime bowler. The Proteas batting has been more than good enough and the inclusion of Aiden Markram in the last game was a great move as well. Quinton de Kock has been in good touch and the bowlers have performed exceedingly well, especially the left-arm chinaman, Tabraiz Shamsi. The 31-year-old has not conceded a four till now in the series. Nortje might just have three scalps, but he is very economically and was primality the reason for the team’s win in the second match where he gave away just four runs in the 19th over. West Indies’ bowling has been reasonably good as well. It is the batting where they are lacking, especially because of the failure of the three big guns in Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Chris Gayle. Though Gayle was dropped in the last game, as a big match player, he should be brought into the squad for this game. Although Fabian Allen has been terrific down the order, the silence of Dwayne Bravo with the bat is concerning as well. With all these issues on their mind, the team need to still come out and win the game. Will they be able to do it, o5nly time can tell. West Indies vs South Africa: Match Details Match Number- 04 Date and Time: July 01, 2021, 11:30 pm IST, 06:00 pm GMT, 02:00 pm Local Venue: National Cricket Stadium, St George's, Grenada Live Stream: Fancode Pitch Report The pitch as per the three ODIs seems to be a wicket that slows down eventually with the ball sticking in the wicket bit, especially if the pace is slow and the ball is allowed to grip. The batters have their say too, but only if they settle down. This has been shown repetitively by de Kock and in the first game by Evin Lewis as well. Weather Forecast and Toss With chances of rain hovering around 47-51% during the game and cloud cover near about 70%, rain not hitting the match would be the real surprise rather than otherwise. The humidly is also going to be very high. So winning the toss and deciding to bowl first is going to be the choicest decision without any doubt. Team News West Indies There has been no announcement of the change in the squad so far. So assuming that the same squad would be available for selection, it is highly improbable to see any changes in the XI that played the last game. Although Gayle should be included in5 it just because of his big-match temperament. Fidel Edwards would have to wait for another series to get his chance. Probable XI Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Kieron Pollard (c), Jason Holder, Andre Russell, Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Obed McCoy, Kevin Sinclair South Africa The Proteas already made a change in the form of getting Markram in place of Heinrich Klaasen. Moreover, there seems to be no reason for them to disturb their winning combination. Probable XI Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi Dream XI / Fantasy XI Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis, Quinton de Kock (wk) (c), David Miller, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell (vc), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi

South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada showed his class and clinched a victory for his side in a nail-biting finish against West Indies in the third T20I in Grenada to go 2-1 up in the five-match tie. The hosts needed 8 off the last two deliveries with Rabada who had the ball in his hands was up against Fabian Allen. The right-arm bowler nailed a perfect Yorker on the penultimate delivery of the match to get the equation down to 8 off 1 but was hit for a maximum on the last one which didn’t really keep any significance as the Proteas eventually won the match by 1 run. Chasing a stiff target of 168, West Indies began the proceedings pretty well as openers Even Lewis and Lendl Simmons put 55 on the board for the first wicket before Simmons departed for 22 off 22. His opening partner, Lewis was soon undone by Tabraiz Shamsi for 27 off 21 and the Caribbean side were now 57/2. Jason Holder who came in at number three and Shimron Hetmyer who was in at four provided some resistance to the side and chipped in with a partnership of 33 runs for the third wicket. Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi eventually broke the partnership as he sent Holder packing back in the hut for 16 off 11. The right-handed batsman’s dismissal saw a fall of couple of wickets in quick succession and the home side were soon reduced to 104/5 with captain Kieron Pollard back in the hut. But it was Andre Russell and Allen who steadied the ship for the side and the two aggressive batsmen took on the South African bowling attack to stitch a stand of 36 runs for the sixth wicket. Russell struck a 16-ball 25 while Allen remained unbeaten at 14 off 9. But their efforts went in vain as West Indies failed to go over the line. Anrich Nortje and Shamsi scalped a couple of wickets each. The spinner in fact returned with some impressive figures of 2/13 in 4 overs. Earlier, South Africa after batting first rode on Quinton de Kock’s 51-ball 72 to put up a formidable total of 167/8 in 20 overs. The visitors had a decent start to the proceedings but a flurry of wickets in the death overs denied them to post a big total on the board. While De Kock notched up a half-century, Aiden Markram scored 23 off 18 and Van der Dussen chipped in with 32 off 24 during the course. For the West Indies, it was Obed McCoy and Dwayne Bravo who were among the wickets. McCoy scalped a four-wicket haul for his side while Bravo returned with a three-for. West Indies skipper Pollard admitted that the team didn’t really capitalise on the start that it got. “It has plagued us over the two games, and we need to get the chase right. We had a lot of dots and didn't capitalize on a good start. We couldn't get over the line despite starts, and we have to find a way, that's it. We have close matches, some you win, some you lose. We need to find a way to win,” Pollard said. The fourth encounter of the series will take place on Thursday (July 1, 2021) at the same venue.

It took South Africa just one game to get back in the groove against the West Indies. The Proteas defeated the Caribbean side on Sunday after their bowlers rubbed off the mistakes that they had made in the first match. The five-match T20I series between the two sides is now levelled at 1-1 with the third encounter scheduled to take place on Tuesday in Grenada. The South African pacers were on a roll during the second T20I as they ripped apart the West Indies middle-order while chasing 167 in 20 overs. It was Fabian Allen’s brisk 12-ball 34 that gave them some resistance before the hosts were eventually restricted to 150/9 in the allotted 20 overs. The hosts began the T20I series on a positive note with a comprehensive 8-wicket win over the South African side but soon lost the momentum. The way the middle-order failed in the second encounter for the home side is something the team management needs to take note of. But with players like Chris Gayle, captain Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran and Andre Russell, the batting shouldn’t be much of a worry for West Indies for now. All the batsmen have the ability to rip apart any bowling attack on their day. On the other hand, South Africa are looking in fine touch and don’t really need much of a tweak. Match Details Date – Sunday, June 27, 2021 Time – 11:30 PM IST Venue – National Cricket Stadium, St George's, Grenada Stream on Fancode Pitch Report The tracks haven’t really had much on offer for the batsmen and the spinners might have an advantage in the third encounter too. The introduction of the spinners in the middle-overs can help the bowling team restrict the batsmen to score runs quickly and create a fair bit of pressure on them. So, if you win the toss, bat first and try to put a decent total on the board. Team News West Indies: The hosts had a good start to the proceedings in the first match but the middle-order collapse handed them a defeat. But the kind of experienced customers they have in the side, getting back in the groove won’t be a difficult task for the home side. The bowlers though have done a decent job so far and would be looking to continue with that. They haven’t let the South African middle-order to score runs, so, it would be interesting to see how the batsmen rejig the strategy. South Africa: South Africa are probably on the same page as West Indies. The top-order is looking in fine nick while the bowlers were exceptional in the last clash. It is only the middle-order that has struggled. Batsmen like David Miller and Klaasen should take the onus of scoring runs at a quick pace. Other than this, the team management doesn’t really need to be concerned about anything much. Probable XI West Indies: Evin Lewis, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Kieron Pollard (c), Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Dwayne Bravo, Fabian Allen, Obed McCoy, Kevin Sinclair South Africa: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi Fantasy XI Chris Gayle (C), Nicholas Pooran, Quinton De Kock, Evin Lewis, Kieron Pollard (VC), Rassie Van Der-dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Fabian Allen, Andre Russell, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada

South Africa levelled the T20I series against West Indies on Sunday in Grenada after being the hosts by 16 runs. Chasing 167 in 20 overs, West Indies were restricted to 150/9 eventually. The hosts had a decent start to the chase after openers Even Lewis and Andre Fletcher put 31 runs on the board for the wicket before Lewis departed for 21. West Indies then lost some wickets at regular intervals and were soon left tottering at 104/6. While Fletcher tried to hold the innings from one end, the West Indies middle-order failed to make any significant contributions. The opener eventually was sent back in the hut by Kagiso Rabada for 35. Fabian Allen though tried to provide some resistance to the side after he chipped in with a 12-ball 34 that included five maximums. But Allen’s late surge went in vain as the home side fell short of the target. Rabada picked up a three-for while George Linde scalped a couple of wickets. Earlier, South Africa rode on some fine batting display from the top-order to put 166/7 in the allotted 20 overs. Hendricks notched up 42 off 30 while captain Temba Bavuma top-scored for the Proteas with 46 off 33. For West Indies, it was Obed McCoy who was the pick of the bowlers as he returned with figures of 3/25 in 4 overs. West Indies captain Kieron Pollard appreciated the bowling efforts but admitted that it was in middle-overs where they lost the game. “Second day in succession our bowlers came up trumps for us. We knew they would come hard at us. It is always difficult to defend in the first 6 with only two guys outside. Was a matter of bowling some good balls and trying to limit the boundaries as much as you can. Having said that, they got off to a flier. But we used the conditions well after that and were happy when we kept them to 166. We had a normal discussion at the innings break as we were starting afresh at 0 for 0. I think we lost it between the 7th to the 11th over as we lost three wickets there,” he said. South Africa skipper Bavuma hailed the bowlers for making a vital contribution. “In the past we have been good in the first 6 overs. We didn't capitalize after that. But probably we got a par score after that. The spinners were amazing. George bounced back superbly. It makes your game easy as a skipper if your spinners control the game. We wanted to keep our energies high and maintain the intensity. Bowling quickly is our strength. Rabada and Nortje try to do that. And also change the pace according to the wicket,” Bavuma said after the match. The third T20I match between the two sides will now be played on Tuesday at the same venue.

Following a drubbing at the hands of the Proteas in the two-match Test series, the Caribbean team came roaring back to form in a format where they feel comfortable with. Courtesy impressive bowling performance from Fabian Allen a breezy knock of 71 by Evin Lewis, the hosts thrashed South Africa by 8 wickts to g0 1-0 up in 5 match T20I series. With the resounding defeat, the T20I skipper Temba Bavuma has to ponder upon the team selection that backfired. Before the start of this match, West Indies had previously chased down 160 plus scores in home conditions only once before but on this occasion, they chased down the target of 161 runs with 5 overs to spare. Windies skipper Kieron Pollard won the toss and put the Proteas in. The skipper introduced the spinners right from the word go and though Kevin Sinclair conceded a few boundaries, Fabian Allen put the brakes on the Proteas as he bagged the wicket of Reeze Hendricks after a breezy start from the visitors. He bowled with guile and bamboozled the South African batting line-up with his impressive spell of 2/18 in his 4 overs spell. Quinton de Kock looked during his stay at the crease and was eventually dismissed on 37 of 24 deliveries by Andre Russell. Rassie Van der Dussen was South Africa’s top scorer as he stroked his way to a half-century as wickets fell around him. He struck 4 fours and a couple of sixes during his knock of 56 of 38 deliveries and was instrumental in taking the visitors overs the 160 mark. Allen and Dwayne Bravo were the pick of the bowlers with a couple of wickets each. The sort of start Evin Lewis and Andre Spiceman Fletcher provided to the hosts was more of a statement to the opposition about what they are capable of especially in this format. Both looked in a complete murderous mood and raced off to a 85 runs opening partnership in just 7 overs before the dismissal of Fletcher but by then the match was almost done and dusted. The hosts were bolstered by the return of Chris Gayle and Andre Russell and the two champion match-winner didn’t disappoint their fans. Gayle was at his usual self taking his time early on and then pressing on the launchpad. Evin Lewis on the other hand didn’t spare any of the South African bowlers and literally blew them away with an unbeaten knock of 71 of 35 deliveries. Lewis was eventually dismissed by Tabraiz Shamsi in the 12th over but the hosts needed just 30 odd runs and it was the big man Gayle and Muscle Russell who sealed the deal with 5 overs to spare. While Gayle remained unbeaten on 32, Russell was batting on 23 when the victory target was reached.