With the help of multiple power-packed cameos and a maiden 5-wicket haul for Alzarri Joseph, the West Indies have won the T20I series after clinching the decider.

Brandon King and Kyle Mayers got off to a canter, but a double strike from Kagiso Rabada kept the momentum in check. Nicholas Pooran blazed away to a 19-ball 41, but Lungi Ngidi would return after an expensive first over to end the onslaught.

Pooran’s wicket brought about a middle-order slide, with Powell, Holder, and Chase all falling cheaply. It wasn’t until Raymon Reifer’s handy 27 and a late blitz from Romario Shepherd and Alzarri Joseph when the visitors would get the much-needed late kick during the death overs.

The 9th-wicket stand was worth a record 59 from 26, and Rabada would concede 26 in the final over.

The Proteas didn’t quite have the same start in the chase. Quinton de Kock wasn’t able to get going, and despite hitting four boundaries, could only manage a run-a-ball 21.

However, the in-form Reeza Hendricks and the powerful Rilee Rossouw brought them back in contention with a brilliant 80-run partnership.

Right when WI were desperate for a wicket, Jason Holder delivered. As Rossouw came down the track, the tall quick banged it in short, taking the top edge to the keeper.

David Miller came in at No 4 but the pressure got the better of him when he holed out to long-on.

Hendricks reached a personal best of 83, but the asking rate kept creeping higher and higher. He mistimed a slower low full toss from Joseph straight to long-on, and it was almost curtains.

Klaasen and Parnell departed in the penultimate over, too – giving Joseph his 4th and 5th wickets of the game. And a clutch final over from Reifer kept Aiden Markram from clearing the fence. It was a 7-run victory in a tense atmosphere, and the men in maroon had the last laugh in a series with plenty of twists and turns.

WI 220/8 in 20 overs (Shepherd 44*, Pooran 41 – Nortje 4-0-36-2, Ngidi 4-0-45-2)
SA 213/6 in 20 overs (Hendricks 83, Rossouw 42 – Joseph 4-0-40-5)