Chris Gayle’s devastating 77 from just 31 balls inspired West Indies to a four-wicket victory over South Africa in the first of three Twenty20 Internationals.
The opening batsman blazed five fours and eight maximums, completing the fastest half-century by a West Indian in 17 deliveries, as the tourists eased to victory with four balls unused at Newlands.
The Windies were chasing 166 after Rilee Rossouw’s unbeaten 51 lifted South Africa, without the likes of AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn, to 165 for four.
The Proteas won the toss and lost both openers, Reeza Hendricks and Morne van Wyk, to Sheldon Cottrell and Jason Holder respectively in the opening six overs.
Francois du Plessis provided some much-needed impetus with 38, including five fours and a brace of sixes in the space of 10 balls, until a leading edge off Andre Russell flew to mid-on.
Du Plessis’ departure brought Rossouw and David Miller together and the fourth-wicket pair added 48 in seven overs.
Miller had 24 to his name when he hit Cottrell to Dwayne Bravo on the cover boundary in the 17th over.
Rossouw, dropped by Cottrell earlier on, hit five fours in his 40-ball knock and helped South Africa take 38 off the final 22 deliveries alongside Farhaan Behardien, who hit one sublime six over extra-cover en route to an unbeaten 18.
Gayle’s blistering early attack on a bowling department lacking Steyn and Morkel set West Indies on their way to a 1-0 lead in the series.
The left-hander scored one from his first six balls before flaying 52 off 11 consecutive scoring shots, exiting in the 11th over with 114 on the board.
Gayle and Dwayne Smith had shared a 78-run opening stand before the latter was trapped lbw by Imran Tahir, who then had the former caught behind reverse-sweeping.
Bravo, Marlon Samuels, who made 41 before becoming Tahir’s third victim, Andre Russell and Denesh Ramdin all fell for the addition of only 17 runs before West Indies eventually stumbled over the line.
Friday night out at the Newlands T20 for #englions boys pic.twitter.com/uX9gQYYRcP
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) January 9, 2015