Levi and de Villiers unleash power show as South Africa crush Windies
Key Points(5)
- South Africa Champions turned brute force with the bat into a comprehensive 97-run victory over West Indies Champions in the World Championship of Legends, with Richard Levi and AB de Villiers delivering the decisive blows.
- Levi blasted 87 from just 39 balls and de Villiers added 70 from the same number of deliveries as South Africa piled up 242 for five from their 20 overs.
- West Indies never seriously threatened the target despite Chris Gayle’s aggressive 60 from 31 balls, eventually being bowled out for 145 in 18.2 overs.
- Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso led the demolition job with three wickets each, while Robert Frylinck claimed two.
- Levi launches South Africa into orbit South Africa lost Faf du Plessis for 14, but that early setback quickly disappeared as Levi and de Villiers combined for 104 for the second wicket.
South Africa Champions turned brute force with the bat into a comprehensive 97-run victory over West Indies Champions in the World Championship of Legends, with Richard Levi and AB de Villiers delivering the decisive blows.
Levi blasted 87 from just 39 balls and de Villiers added 70 from the same number of deliveries as South Africa piled up 242 for five from their 20 overs.
West Indies never seriously threatened the target despite Chris Gayle’s aggressive 60 from 31 balls, eventually being bowled out for 145 in 18.2 overs.
Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso led the demolition job with three wickets each, while Robert Frylinck claimed two.
Levi launches South Africa into orbit
South Africa lost Faf du Plessis for 14, but that early setback quickly disappeared as Levi and de Villiers combined for 104 for the second wicket.
Levi was the aggressor, racing to his half-century from 27 balls before accelerating into an extraordinary assault on the bowling.
His 87 contained five fours and eight sixes and came at a strike rate of 223.08. He had taken South Africa to 135 before Dave Mohammed finally ended his onslaught, with Lendl Simmons taking the catch.
Mohammed then accounted for Colin Ingram for seven, but South Africa's momentum barely dipped.
De Villiers keeps the charge going
De Villiers maintained the tempo alongside Sarel Erwee, adding 62 for the fourth wicket before Erwee was dismissed for 23 from 13 balls.
The former South African superstar struck four fours and five sixes in his 70 before falling to Dwayne Bravo in the final over.
Morne van Wyk remained unbeaten on 17 as South Africa finished on 242 for five.
West Indies also conceded 24 extras, including 20 wides, further adding to the size of the target.
Gayle provides the only real resistance
West Indies needed a blistering start to stay in the contest, but wickets kept interrupting their chase.
Lendl Simmons fell for two when Marchant de Lange caught him off his own bowling, while Tahir removed Jermaine Blackwood for nine as the innings slipped to 38 for two.
Phangiso then bowled Chadwick Walton for one before delivering the key breakthrough by trapping Gayle lbw.
Gayle had produced four fours and five sixes in his 60, but his dismissal left West Indies in serious trouble.
Tahir finishes the job
Tahir then ripped through the middle order, dismissing Raymon Reifer and Bravo in the same over to leave West Indies at 84 for six.
Carlos Brathwaite briefly threatened to delay the inevitable, smashing 29 from only 13 balls with three sixes.
Frylinck eventually ended Brathwaite’s counterattack before returning to claim the final wicket and complete the rout.
Tahir finished with three for 24, Phangiso took three for 49 and Frylinck returned two for 22 as South Africa’s overwhelming batting display was followed by equally decisive work with the ball.
The result ultimately reflected the gulf created during South Africa’s explosive second-wicket partnership, with Levi and de Villiers providing an attack that West Indies could never recover from.
