West Indies Captain Calls Out Team's 'Unacceptable' Rustiness In Recent Win

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Rovman Powell emphasised that the West Indies must remain grounded after their recent performance against South Africa. Despite winning by seven wickets in Friday's T20I, Powell noted an unacceptable level of rustiness. The victory gave the Windies a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

The West Indies have now secured five wins out of their last six T20Is against South Africa. This follows a comeback from a three-wicket loss at the T20 World Cup in June. However, Powell was not entirely satisfied with their latest performance.

South Africa managed to post a competitive 174-7, with Tristan Stubbs scoring 76 and Patrick Kruger adding 44. Powell remarked, "I think it's always good to go 1-0 up. We bowled well in the powerplay and though we let them off a bit, we were good with the bat."

Shai Hope's 51 and Alick Athanaze's 40 provided a solid foundation for the Windies' chase. Nicholas Pooran then took charge with an unbeaten 65, including four consecutive sixes in one over. Pooran commented, "I just felt like Shai and Alick put South Africa under pressure in the powerplay."

Pooran, who was named Player of the Match, added, "At the ten-over mark, we knew it was a better wicket and my job was simple and I just had to take on my match-ups." He acknowledged that rain made the first ten overs tricky when South Africa batted.

South Africa's Bright Spots

Despite their defeat, South Africa had some notable performances. Tristan Stubbs' batting stood out, as did teenager Kwena Maphaka's maiden international wicket. Proteas captain Aiden Markram praised Maphaka, saying, "Maphaka has a lot of X-factor and is really young."

Markram continued, "He has hunger when you speak to him off the field and he wants to win games for South Africa." This enthusiasm is seen as promising for South Africa's future matches.

Powell stressed that while there is much talk about the next T20 World Cup, they need to focus on one game at a time. "We have to stay in the moment and the 2026 T20 World Cup is too far for us," he said.

The West Indies will aim to maintain their momentum as they prepare for upcoming matches. Their recent form suggests they are on a positive trajectory but must address any lingering issues.