West Indies pulled off the highest run chase in the history of Twenty20 Internationals, to beat South Africa by four wickets with four balls to spare, and clinch a winning 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Johannesburg on Sunday.
The big-hitting Chris Gayle top-scored with a stunning 90 off 41 balls to help West Indies overhaul South Africa’s 231 for seven and silence a capacity crowd at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium.
Gayle struck nine fours and seven sixes and put on a record 152 for the second wicket with Marlon Samuels who stroked a classy 60 from a mere 39 balls, with seven fours and two sixes.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis scored his maiden One-Day International century, which propelled his team to what looked like a match-winning total of 231.
South Africa lost two early wickets but de Plessis struck ll fours and five sixes and combined with David Miller, who struck 47 off 26 balls with four fours and three sixes, in an up tempo 105 for the third wicket.
Left with the challenge of re-writing history, the West Indies seemed in danger of wasting the brilliance of Gayle and Samuels when they lost five wickets for 38 runs (another middle-order collapse) slumping from 117 for one in the 14th over to 206 in the in the 18th.
But captain Darren Sammy struck 20 not out off seven balls, with two fours and a six, that lifted West Indies to victory.
Gayle was named Man-of-the-Match for the second time in the three-match series.
