Tarouba (Trinidad): West Indies smashed 13 sixes in its innings to beat South Africa by 30 runs and secure the Twenty20 international series with a game to spare.
West Indies scored 179-6 after being asked to bat first in the second T20, accelerating from 111-4 after 14 overs. Shai Hope hit a 22-ball 41 with two fours and four sixes. Captain Rovman Powell contributed 35 runs, also in 22 balls, with three sixes.
South Africa was all out for 149 with two balls remaining despite a strong start of 57-0 after just four overs. But the chase faltered and, at 138-6, South Africa needed 42 runs off the last four overs. Opener Reeza Hendricks top-scored with an 18-ball 44 which included two of his team’s six sixes before he was bowled by Romario Shepherd, who took 3-15 in four overs. Shamar Joseph returned 3-31.
West Indies was unchanged from the team that also hit 13 sixes to win the opening T20 by seven wickets at the same ground last Friday. South Africa replaced fast medium left-armer Nandre Burger with Lizaad Williams, who took 3-36.
The series-concluding T20 is on Tuesday, also at Tarouba.
South Africa prevailed in the preceding two-match test series against West Indies, winning the second test at Providence, Guyana, after a rain-hit drawn opener at Port of Spain, Trinidad.
