Proteas middle-order batsman Heinrich Klaasen rescued South Africa from the jaws of defeat with a breathtaking 63-ball 119 to beat the West Indies in Potchefstroom on Tuesday.
The win was enough to secure SA a 1-1 series draw after the first match rained out, with the Windies winning the second in East London at the weekend.
But it was so hittete or the Windies got revenge for their 2-0 Test series defeat, as the teams now get ready for the start of the three-match T20I series at Centurion Park on Saturday.
🚨 RESULT | SOUTH AFRICA WIN BY 4 WICKETS
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) March 21, 2023
A splendid unbeaten 119 from Heinrich Klaasen, who shared in a 103-run stand with Marco Jansen (43) took the #Proteas over the line to seal the win and level the Betway ODI series#SAvWI #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/duFhGuAdXL
SA will take some much-needed confidence into that clash after bouncing back well on Tuesday.
Taking the field without their captain Temba Bavuma, who is nursing a hamstring strain, the Proteas were led by Aiden Markram.
The stand-in skipper won the toss and decided to send the Windies in to bat. Markram (1/34 in 10 overs) proved to be SA’s most economic bowler as they restricted the visitors to just 260.
Both Marco Jansen and Bjorn Fortuin took 2/46 to help bowl out the Windies, with Brandon King (72) top-scoring for the visitors.
SA then lost opener Ryan Rickelton (3) early on and when Rassie van der Dussen 14 also fell to Alzarri Joseph 3/50, they were in trouble on 36/2.
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— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) March 21, 2023
A 5-star performance by Heinrich Klaasen who brings up his second ODI century#SAvWI #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/9NUSqeMkd9
Markram (25) and opener De Zorzi (21) were next to go, making it 87/4 in the 13th over.
With most of their top order gone, Klaasen and David Miller had to get the hosts back on track. And they did, sharing a 55-run fifth-wicket stand before Miller 17 was caught and bowled by Akeal Hosein 2/49.
The scoreboard read 142/5 when Jansen 4 joined Klaasen in the middle and they just took the game away from the Windies to take SA to 264/6 and register a five-wicket win.