West Indies chose to bowl vs South Africa
After a two-hour-and-15-minute delay to the toss, thanks to persistent rain at SuperSport Park, Rovman Powell called as it should be in his first outing as West Indies T20I captain and put South Africa in to bat in damp conditions. The match has been reduced to an 11-over-a-side shootout on a good pitch, with a number of runs expected and tricky conditions for fielders. Sawdust was once being sprinkled on the outfield, particularly the areas around backward point on both sides.
South Africa’s injured trio of Reeza Hendricks (finger laceration), Anrich Nortje (groin niggle) and Sisanda Magala (split webbing), who missed the ODIs, were all passed fit to play in the T20I opener. That allowed South Africa to continue to rest Kagiso Rabada, with Nortje, Magala and Parnell to bowl seam and two spinners in Tabraiz Shamsi and Bjorn Fortuin. Aiden Markram, in his first outing as permanent T20I skipper, will slot in at No. 4, after Quinton de Kock, Hendricks and Rilee Rossouw.
West Indies left out Jason Holder, who had played each match on the tour so far, leaving Alzarri Joseph to lead the attack. Sheldon Cottrell, Odean Smith and Romario Shepherd made up the remainder of the pack, with Akeal Hosein and Roston Chase as the spin-bowling options.
South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Rilee Rossouw, 4 Aiden Markram (capt), 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Wayne Parnell, 8 Sisanda Magala, 9 Bjorn Fortuin, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi
West Indies: 1 Kyle Mayers, 2 Brandon King, 3 Johnson Charles (wk), 4 Nicholas Pooran, 5 Rovman Powell (capt), 6 Roston Chase, 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Odean Smith, 9 Sheldon Cottrell, 10 Akeal Hosein, 11 Alzarri Joseph