Johnson Charles smashes a brilliant century as West Indies set Proteas a big target
Gqeberha — South Africa will have to score their highest T20 total to levcel the series as the West Indies set a mammoth 259-runs target at SuperSport Park.
The West Indies lost opening batter Brandon King in the third delivery of the match courtesy of left-arm seamer, Wayne Parnell.
That brought Johnson Charles to the wicket at number three for the West Indies. In today's T20 standards, Charles' four fifties in 39 innings and a career strike-rate of 122 leading up to the match is by no means extra-ordinary.
But on a Sunday afternoon in Centurion, Charles put on an extra-ordinary performance with the bat as he brought up his maiden T20I century for the West Indies. He scored 118 off 46 balls and struck ten 4s and eleven 6s.
Charles and Kyle Mayers (51) put on a 135-runs partnership to set the tone for the powerful West Indies middle order. The pair put South Africa's bowling attack to the sword as the entire bowling attack struggled to keep them quiet.
Captain Rovman Powell struck a quickfire 28 runs before Parnell had him caught behind by wicket keeper, Quinton de Kock.
Romario Shepherd came in at six with the score on 179 runs with six overs still remaining in the innings. Shepherd added salt to South Africa's wounds with an unbeaten 18-balls 41 runs which included four 6s.
The West Indies set South Africa a mammoth 259 runs to win the match and level the series.
Scorecard
West Indies: 258/5 (Charles 118, Mayers 51, Jansen 3/52, Parnell 2/43)
IOL Sport