Sports
Impressive Men's T20 World Cup Final Sees India and South Africa Battling for Victory with Historical Unbeaten Streaks
India and South Africa compete in the ICC men’s T20 World Cup final at Kensington Oval. West Indies' loss discussed as Mayers and Chase shine despite defeat.
As favourites India and South Africa battle for the title in the ICC men’s T20 World Cup at Kensington Oval tomorrow, many fans are still discussing the failure of West Indies to at least reach the semi-finals.
But let’s acknowledge that the final features the two most deserving teams, as they played unbeaten. And the victorious team will be the first to capture a men’s T20 World Cup unbeaten.
In relation to West Indies, needing to beat South Africa in a virtual knockout at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua last Sunday, Rovman Powell’s team lost by three wickets with five balls remaining (DLS method).
The West Indies batting was disappointing, scoring 135 for eight after they were sent in. All-rounder Roston Chase hit the top-score of 52 off 42 balls with three fours and two sixes and Kyle Mayers made 35 off 34 balls at the top.
Mayers and Chase, both dropped early in their innings, added 81 in 10.5 overs for the third wicket.
But once they were parted, the innings lacked momentum with six wickets tumbling for 32 runs off 35 balls.
Let’s be realistic. Losing Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran inside the first two overs would have given South Africa a psychological boost.
There have been arguments that arrogance played a part in both dismissals. Hope, fresh from a career-best T20I 82 not out off 39 balls including four fours and eight sixes against United States of America at Kensington, drove left-arm pacer Marco Jansen into the hands of cover before he had scored.
Then off the first ball from captain Aiden Markram, left-hander Pooran (one) attempted a big hit and was caught at long-off.
Jansen should have also removed Chase in his second over but Anrich Nortje dropped an easy catch at mid-on.
And in the sixth over, Mayers was let off at square-leg by Keshav Maharaj off Markram.
But that is the nature of the game and both Mayers and Chase must be credited for their effort in rebuilding the innings.
Tactically, the decision by Markram to bowl his four overs of off-spin on the trot was commendable. In fact, the pacers bowled only three overs in the first half of the innings and key pacer Kagiso Rabada sent down only two overs all told – at the death.
At a stage when they were hoping to accelerate, West Indies lost vital wickets including Powell (one), Sherfane Rutherford (0) and Andre Russell, who was run out for 15 off the first ball of the 17th over, having clobbered two sixes off the first two balls from the previous over by Nortje.
