Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph finished off South Africa with three wickets in the 19th over as West Indies won the third T20I by seven runs and took the series 2-1. (More Cricket News)
Joseph collected 5-40 after his late burst, which ensured South Africa fell short of West Indies’ challenging total of 220-8.
South Africa threatened for a moment, mainly because of Reeza Hendricks’ 83 from 44 balls, but ultimately only managed 213-6 in its 20 overs.
Hendricks fell to Joseph off the first ball of that 19th over for the crucial breakthrough when he was caught at long on looking for his third six.
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Hendricks had earlier been dropped a couple of times on the boundary but West Indies captain Rovman Powell held on this time.
South Africa needed 35 runs off the last two overs and was up against it already, but Joseph then had Heinrich Klaasen caught two balls after Hendricks’ departure and sent a delivery smashing into Wayne Parnell’s stumps two balls after that to set up the victory.
With his team needing 26 off the last over, South Africa captain Aiden Markram (35 not out off 18 balls) hit three fours and the home team took 18 off the last six deliveries but still came up short.
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West Indies posted its strong total thanks largely to an unbroken stand of 59 off 26 balls for the ninth wicket between Joseph and Romario Shepherd.
The tourists were 161-8 and fading when those two came together, but Shepherd thumped 44 not out off 22 balls with two fours and three sixes.
Joseph played a supporting role with his 14 not out and their half-century stand right at the end of the West Indies innings gave the game a different complexion and South Africa too much to do.
West Indies bounced back after losing to a record-breaking South Africa run chase in the second T20.
