South Africa vs West Indies, 1st T20I, West Indies tour of South Africa, 2026 - Commentary

South Africa couldn’t have asked for a better start to the series. This marks their largest T20I win against West Indies in terms of wickets. They will look to extend their dominance and seal the series at Centurion on Thursday. Can the visitors turn it around? Join us for the second game to find out. Until then, cheers and goodbye!!

Aiden Markram | South Africa skipper: To be honest, the boys were very good in all departments, and it’s nice to start a series on a note like that. It was a proper team performance with the ball, and then with the bat it didn’t need to be too much because the two guys who got in made it count on what turned out to be a very good wicket. We actually bowled pretty well, and when you’re chasing 175 you think, “sheesh, that’s a lot,” which speaks volumes about how good the pitch was. It played really well, and under lights it came on even better, so it worked out nicely. I was really pleased with Ryan Rickelton - coming back into the squad and getting a second opportunity, he went about his role sensibly. Walking in outside the powerplay isn’t easy, but he handled the pressure well, backed his strengths, and it paid off. Overall, it’s great to be part of this group - we’ve got real depth, even with quality players not here, and after a few years of building, a lot of guys are putting their hands up. It’s a very good place for the national team to be.

Roston Chase | West Indies skipper: Credit to South Africa - they played very good cricket, restricted us to a below-par total and then chased it well. We felt 170-odd was defendable, but we were really targeting something closer to 190 or 195. The lack of big partnerships hurt us - we got starts but didn’t convert them into substantial scores. In T20 cricket it’s about taking calculated risks, but we had a few soft dismissals in the middle and missed that big 60 or 70 from one of the batters. With the ball, we started poorly in the powerplay, which allowed them to settle. The pitch wasn’t an issue for us, but we’re hoping for a quicker surface with more bounce at Centurion.

George Linde | Player of the Match: It’s obviously awesome to be part of such a talented group of cricketers. I’m really enjoying being in this squad and I’m looking forward to the World Cup, especially going to India - it’s a huge privilege and I can’t wait. Having a month of T20 cricket has sharpened me up, and after getting a few days off, the body feels refreshed and ready for what’s coming. I’m comfortable bowling wherever the captain needs me - with the new ball, in the middle or at the death. I like testing myself and doing whatever the team requires. I love batting, but in this squad I probably see myself more as a bowler.

West Indies in T20Is in South Africa
Batting first: One win, five defeats
Batting second: Four wins, one defeat

Markram’s last three T20 innings:
66(46) vs PR
108(58) vs PR
86*(47) vs WI - also his highest T20I score

Markram vs WI in T20Is
Inns: 12
Runs: 408
Avg: 51
SR: 161.26
50s: 3

21:27 local, 19:27 GMT, 00:57 IST: A comprehensive win for the Proteas, who were always ahead of the rate. The opening partnership of 83 runs effectively shut down any slim hopes of a West Indies comeback. Aiden Markram was in sublime touch from ball one, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius did not take long to join the party. The duo set the tone by smashing 29 runs off the final two overs of the powerplay, taking South Africa to 68/0 after six overs. Although Pretorius fell in the eighth over while attempting a big hit, Markram took responsibility and carried on in fine form, going on to register his highest T20I score against West Indies. Rickelton struggled for timing for much of his innings but showed good composure, resisting the temptation to throw his wicket away and capitalising on the loose deliveries. Unfortunately, It was an off day for one of West Indies’ most consistent performers in this format, Akeal Hosein. He spilled a regulation catch when Markram was on 27 and then went on to concede 31 off his 3 overs, failing to make an impact. Stick around for the post-match reactions...