Paarl: Captain Aiden Markram’s brilliant innings, aided by George Linde’s superb bowling, helped South Africa to a nine-wicket victory over the West Indies in the first T20I of the three-match series at Boland Park on Tuesday.
Batting first, West Indies scored 173 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs.
Shimron Hetmyer scored 48 runs off 32 balls including 4 fours and 3 sixes.
Rowman Powell scored a valuable 29 off 25 balls with 2 fours and a six while opener Brandon King scored 27 off 16 balls with 5 fours and a six.
Captain Roston Chase scored 22 runs off 18 balls including 2 fours.
George Linde led the bowling for South Africa, taking 3/25 in four overs, with Keshav Maharaj and Corbin Bosch picking up two wickets each.
Chasing 174 in 17.5 overs, the Proteas eased to victory with the loss of just one wicket. Markram scored an unbeaten 86 off 47 balls with 9 fours and 3 sixes.
Ryan Rickeldon scored 40 off 32 balls including a four and 2 sixes while opener Luan-Tre Pretorius added 44 off 28 balls with 6 fours and a six.
West Indies bowler Roston Chase was the only one to pick up a wicket as the rest of the bowlers struggled to make an impact.
The second T20I of the series will be played at Centurion on Thursday.