TAROUBA, Trinidad — With Nicholas Pooran’s explosive 35-run performance off just 13 balls, the West Indies sealed an emphatic eight-wicket triumph over South Africa in the rain-affected third T20 match on Tuesday, completing a clean sweep of the three-match series.
The start of the game was delayed by an hour due to rain, which also interrupted play in the fifth over of South Africa’s innings, ultimately reducing the match to 13 overs per side.
South Africa, who were at 23-0 when the rain first hit, managed to post a total of 108-4, thanks largely to Tristan Stubbs, who hammered 40 runs from 15 balls. Stubbs’ innings, featuring five fours and three sixes, provided some much-needed momentum for the visitors. Over the course of the series, Stubbs accumulated 144 runs with an impressive strike rate of 178.
In response, Pooran nearly matched Stubbs’ brilliance, smashing two fours and four sixes. The West Indies were comfortably positioned at 60-2 when Pooran was dismissed in the fourth over, but the hosts cruised to victory with 22 balls to spare.
Shai Hope remained unbeaten with 42 runs off 24 balls, while Shimron Hetmeyer contributed 31 runs from 17 deliveries in a solid partnership of 56 runs for the third wicket.
“Securing a 3-0 series win was our goal, and we achieved it,” said West Indies captain Roston Chase in a post-match interview. “I asked the boys to give their all today, and they delivered with heart and determination.”
Despite the interruptions, no overs were lost, and the West Indies, winning the toss, opted to bowl first in anticipation of further rain. South Africa’s innings started cautiously in the humid conditions, with the first boundary only coming in the fourth over, struck by Ryan Rickelton off Matthew Forde’s bowling. The first six followed shortly after.
The rain returned for a 70-minute break, putting South Africa on the back foot. Reeza Hendricks was dismissed just three balls after the resumption, bringing Stubbs to the crease. Stubbs counter-attacked, smashing 6, 4, 6 in the 11th over and 4, 6, 4 in the final over before being dismissed with two balls remaining in the innings.
Pooran then set the stage for a West Indies victory with his blistering 13-ball innings, boasting a strike rate of 269. Hope’s innings included four sixes, while Hetmeyer added four fours and a six, sealing a dominant win for the hosts.
This victory marks another 3-0 series win for the West Indies over South Africa, having achieved a similar result earlier in the year before the T20 World Cup. However, it was South Africa who eliminated the West Indies from the World Cup in between these series.
Reflecting on the loss, South Africa captain Aiden Markram noted, “It was a challenging match with the rain interruptions, which didn’t help our cause. Conditions changed significantly, but we recognize areas where we need to improve to handle tough situations better.”