ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) — A typically audacious half-century from Captain Kieron Pollard, coupled with a career-best four-wicket haul from veteran Dwayne Bravo, propelled West Indies to a critical 21-run, series-levelling victory in the fourth Twenty20 International here yesterday.
Tottering on 101 for six in the 16th over after batting first for the first time in the five-match series, West Indies recovered to reach 167 for six off their 20 overs, courtesy of Man-of-the-Match Pollard’s unbeaten 51 off just 25 deliveries.
Opener Lendl Simmons slammed 47 off 34 deliveries at the top of the order, but other than for Fabian Allen’s 13-ball 19 not out towards the end, the home side batsmen failed to show any enterprise, as spinners Tabraiz Shamsi (2-13) and George Linde (2-16) grabbed two wickets apiece to stall the innings in the middle period.
In reply, Quinton de Kock extended his purple patch with a top score of 60 off 43 deliveries, but no other batsman passed 20, leaving the Proteas well short of their target on 149 for nine.
The damage was done primarily by Bravo, who snatched four for 19 from four superb overs, as South Africa tumbled from 62 for two at the start of the 10th over, losing their next seven wickets for 84 runs to decline swiftly.
Captain Kieron Pollard goes long during his 51 not out in the fourth Twenty20 International on Thursday.
“Obviously, in a game like this you’ve got to come hard, and you have to try to win. It was a must-win game for us and it was a matter of coming out and being focused,” Pollard said afterwards