West Indies break record for highest run-chase in T20 International cricket
On a day in the Wanderers when a lot of records came down crashing, West Indies posted the record for the highest fourth innings score in international T20 cricket by chasing down South Africa’s 231/7 with four wickets in hand and four balls to spare. Having pulled off this stunning run-chase, the visitors lead the 3-match T20 series 2-0, a sweet state of things after being beaten comprehensively in the recently concluded Test series.
After South Africa were sent in to bat on a flat batting pitch, captain Faf du Plessis scored a massive 119 to take his team to a total of 231. There were 12 massive sixes in the Proteas innings, five of them by Faf du Plessis, who became the first cricketer in his nation’s history to have international centuries to his name in all three formats.
Gayle and Samuels take Windies to victory again
In reply, West Indies had to chase down a total that had never been chased down in T20 cricket – and they did. After suffering an early jolt, Chris Gayle (90 off 41) and Marlon Samuels (60 off 39) combined at the crease to build a partnership of 154 from just 73 balls, thereby setting up one of the most sensational finishes to a cricket match in recent history.
Chris Gayle was caught behind off David Wiese on 90 in the 14th over, and the fast bowler soon claimed the wickets of Samuels and Kieron Pollard as well, thus creating a stutter in an otherwise confident run chase.
However, useful cameos from Andre Russel, Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy came to Windies’s rescue, as the captain hit a six in the second ball of the last over to bring the players from the away dressing-room flocking onto the ground in celebration.
The previously standing record for the highest successful T20I run-chase was when India rode a 25-ball 60 from Yuvraj Singh to chase down Sri Lanka’s score of 207 in Punjab in December 2009.