WI vs SA 2nd T20I: All-Round West Indies Clinch Series With Emphatic Victory Over South Africa

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Romario Shepherd and Rovman Powell starred as West Indies clinched the three-match series against South Africa with an emphatic 30-run win in the second T20I at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad & Tobago.

An all-round show saw the Caribbean side clinch their third successive T20I series win over the Proteas. South Africa's entertaining show in the powerplay went in vain as the West Indies took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

In the run chase of 180, South Africa got off to a flier with Reeza Hendricks going all guns blazing with a barrage of boundaries in the powerplay. Despite losing Ryan Rickelton early in the chase, the Proteas raced to 67/1 in five overs.

However, West Indies introduced right-arm pacer Shepherd into the attack, and he instantly delivered in the final over of the powerplay, removing the dangerous-looking Hendricks for 44 off 18 balls.

Hendricks's eyes lit up when he saw Shepherd bowling a short-length delivery that landed outside off. He tried to go after it but ended up chopping it back onto the stumps. He returned to the dugout, leaving South Africa at 71/2 in 5.5 overs.

South Africa lost all of their momentum after losing both the openers in the space of an over. Skipper Aiden Markram, who got off to a promising start, also fell to Shepherd an over later.

Following on from a fifty in the series opener, Tristan Stubbs tried to pull things back for South Africa alongside Rassie van der Dussen with a 43-run partnership. Once the stand was ended by Akeal Hosein, South Africa lost the plot.

Needing 51 off 26 balls, the spin duo of Hosein and Gudakesh Motie combined to pick three wickets to put the visitors back against the wall, leading to a collapse from 129/3 in 13.4 overs to 149 All Out in 19.4 overs as pacers cleaned up the lower order.

Shepherd (3 for 15 in 4 overs) was the pick of the bowlers for West Indies, while Shamar Joseph (3 for 31) also chipped in with three wickets. Hosein ended with figures of 2 for 25 despite coceding 17 runs in the two overs he bowled inside the powerplay.

Earlier, after being put to bat, the opening duo of Shai Hope (28) and Alick Athanaze (41) raced to 41 before the former's dismissal. Powell and Sherfane Rutherford went berserk towards the final couple of overs, which propelled West Indies' score to 179/6.

In the three-match series opener on Friday (August 23), the hosts chased down South Africa's total of 174 convincingly and secured a 7-wicket win. The two sides will square off in the final T20I on Tuesday (August 27) at the same venue.