WI vs SA: Stubbs' hard work goes in vain as Pooran's 26-ball 65 helps West Indies beat South Africa by 7 wickets

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WI vs SA: West Indies defeated South Africa by seven wickets in the first T20I at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad on Saturday, August 24. Nicholas Pooran scored unbeaten 65 runs off just 26 balls for West Indies as the target was chased with 13 balls to spare.

West Indies openers gave their team a solid start in the run-chase, forging a 84-run partnership off 49 balls. Opener Alick Athanaze scored 40 off 30, while his partner Shai Hope chipped in with 51 off 36 balls.

Captain Rovman Powell scored 7 off 15, but Roston Chase, who walked in after his dismissal, finished the match with a boundary on the first ball he faced. Pooran's blazing unbeaten knock consisted of two fours and seven sixes. He made full use of the absence of key bowlers Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shami.

Earlier, West Indies won the toss and invited South Africa to bat first. The visitors were soon reduced to 42/5 before Tristan Stubbs and Patrick Kruger stitched a 71-run partnership off 50 balls.

Once Patrick departed for 44 off 32, Stubbs added another 60 runs off 25 balls with Bjorn Fortuin (11* off 8). Stubbs' contribution in the partnership was 45 runs.

The 24-year-old departed for 76 off 42 including eight fours, and three sixes, on the penultimate ball of the South Africa innings. Pacer Matthew Forde picked three wickets including that of captain Aiden Markram (14). Shamar Joseph also picked two wickets but conceded 40 runs in four overs.

The second T20I of the three-match series will be played on Monday, August 26 at 12:30 AM IST.