Chris Gayle blasted 90 off 41 balls as the West Indies achieved a world record run chase in the second Twenty20 international on Sunday to beat South Africa by four wickets.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis hit a 46-ball century in his team’s total of 231 for seven — their second highest total in the shortest form of the game.
But it was overhauled with four balls to spare on a record-breaking day at the Wanderers with West Indies captain Darren Sammy finishing the match with a six to take his team to 236 for six.
Man of the match Gayle was again the star for the West Indies as he shared a second wicket stand of 152 off 75 balls with Marlon Samuels, who made 60.
“Cricket was the winner today,” said Sammy. “We were dominated in the Tests but we have different energy in this series.”
It was astonishing batting by both teams in ideal conditions on a field where the world record 50-overs run chase was achieved by South Africa when they scored 438 for nine against Australia in 2005/06.
The previous T20 record chase was 211 for four by India against Sri Lanka in Mohali in 2009/10.
Du Plessis said his South African record score of 119 off 56 balls was “bittersweet”.
He added: “I said at half-time that this game is very far from finished. Nothing is out of reach. Chris played so well up front, it is very hard to contain him.”
West Indies coach Stuart Williams said his side were determined to clinch the T20 series to make up for the 2-0 loss in the preceding Tests.
“The guys were hurting,” said Williams. “Chris was brilliant today and Marlon kept the momentum going, but it was a total team effort, everyone had a role to play.”
“It’s a good pitch to chase on, we backed ourselves to get the runs. It’s great for us and West Indies cricket.”
The tempo of the match was set when Du Plessis and David Miller (47) put on 103 off 49 balls for South Africa’s third wicket.
Du Plessis hit five sixes and 11 fours, while Miller’s three sixes and four fours off 26 balls included arguably the biggest hit seen at the ground, a mighty blow over long-on which cleared a four-tier grandstand and sailed into an adjacent golf course.
The West Indies replied with even more brutality at the start of their innings.
They raced to 86 for one in the six-over power play, with Gayle and Samuels posting a fifty partnership off 21 balls.
Gayle, who hit a 17-ball half-century in the first match in Cape Town on Friday, was only marginally slower on Sunday, reaching the mark off 20 deliveries with three sixes and seven fours.
