It was raining records and centuries on a Super Sunday in Centurion, as South Africa defeated West Indies in a game that could well be described as T20’s answer to the 438 game.
South Africa needed a victory to stay alive in the three-match T20I series against West Indies after losing the opener at the same venue, a prospect that looked virtually impossible after Johnson Charles’ blistering 118 powered West Indies to a commanding 258/5.
Charles brought up his maiden T20I hundred with a six, bringing up the milestone in just 39 deliveries and helping the Windies recovery from a jittery start after losing Brandon King off the third ball of the innings.
South Africa opener and wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock however, matched Charles shot-for-shot and would also bring up his maiden T20I ton — though he would take four deliveries more than the West Indian one-down batter.
Though de Kock departed shortly after bringing up the three-figure mark, he had laid the foundation for the Proteas to pull off a record chase.
With useful contributions from Reeza Hendricks (68 off 28) and Aiden Markram (38 not out off 21), the latter remaining unbeaten till the end, South Africa ended up leveling the series in style with a memorable six-wicket victory at the SuperSport Park.
Here are some of the milestones achieved and records broken during the second T20I in Centurion:
— South Africa pulled off the highest successful chase in T20I cricket by chasing down 259 in the second T20I. Incidentally, South Africa also hold the record for the highest successful chase in ODIs too ( vs Australia in 2006).
— Johnson Charles scored the fastest T20I hundred by a West Indian, breaking the record previously held by Chris Gayle, who brought up the milestone in 47 balls in 2016.
— Both West Indies and South Africa registered their highest T20I totals on Sunday. South Africa’s score of 259/4 is also the sixth-highest total in T20I history.
— Quinton de Kock registered the second-fastest T20I ton by a South Africa. De Kock’s teammate David Miller holds the record for the all-time fastest T20I ton for his 35-ball hundred against Bangladesh.
— De Kock brought up his half-century in 15 balls, the fastest by a South African in T20Is and the joint-fifth fastest overall.
— 517 runs were scored overall in the 2nd T20I — the highest in T20 history. It’s also the first time the 500 runs have been scored in the format.
— South Africa posted 102/0 at the end of the powerplay — the first time a full member crossed 100 in the powerplay in a T20I.
— South Africa also broke the record for most runs scored at the end of the 10-over mark. The Proteas collected 149 without losing a wicket, two more than what New Zealand scored against Sri Lanka in 2016.
— The match witnessed a total of 34 sixes being hit — the most in T20I history (including Associate Nations).
— South Africa became the first team to successfully chase down a total in excess of 250 in all T20 cricket.
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