South Africa suffered a dramatic defeat against west indies In the third and final T20I at the Wanderers on Saturday, the contest was eclipsed by rain interruptions and an extraordinary short-run incident. Although the Proteas had already taken the series 2–1, West Indies saved pride with a thrilling six-run win via the DLS method in a match that turned into a chaotic shootout.
Rain turns South Africa vs West Indies clash into stop-start thriller
The start of play was delayed by almost two hours due to persistent rain, ultimately reducing the match to 16 overs per side. West Indies made a bright start and were 66 for one after six overs when rain caused a delay of one hour. That interruption shortened the game to just 10 overs per side, forcing both teams to go all out on offense.
Despite the constant disruptions, the visiting team adapted quickly, knowing they had nothing to lose after winning the series.
Shai Hope and Hetmyer take West Indies to 114/3
West Indies scored a competitive score of 114 runs for three wickets in the revised 10 overs, riding on the destructive partnership between captain Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer. Hope led from the front, scoring 48 runs in 25 balls, while Hetmyer remained unbeaten on 48 runs in just 22 balls.
Both attacked continuously and cleared the ropes between them 10 times. One of Hetmyer’s sky-high sixes even hit a spectator who was lying on his back in the stands. The moment was lightened up when fans immediately stood up and applauded, sending a wave of joy through the crowd.
South Africa’s goal started quickly and then unraveled
Set a DLS-adjusted target of 125, South Africa began the chase aggressively. quinton de kock 18 runs were scored in the opening over, which raised hopes of another successful target. However, the momentum quickly changed when captain Aiden Markram was caught attempting a pull shot in the second over.
De Kock soon scored 28 runs from 14 balls and the innings got underway with the dismissals of Ryan Rickelton (15) and Dewald Brewis (17) in quick succession. Spinner Gudakesh Moti struck three in the space of eight balls, leaving South Africa struggling to rebuild.
Jason Smith gave new hope by giving 20 runs in the eighth over and kept the chase going. South Africa needed 16 runs to win off the final over, with tension rising under the Johannesburg lights.
When Smith hit a four, the equation was reduced to nine runs in three balls, but the drama was not over yet.
Corbin Bosch’s broken bat and short-run make headlines at Wanderers
The decisive moment came on the fifth ball of the ninth over. Shamar Joseph gave a full ball to Corbin Bosch, who attempted a high shot. The bat broke near the handle mid-swing, sending the ball towards long-on.
Rovman Powell dropped the catch, but after this there was chaos. Bosch tried to throw the broken bat – without the handle – on the ground over the crease. In a bizarre scene, he held the blade in one hand and the handle in the other, but failed to position it properly. The umpires called it a short run, causing South Africa to lose a vital run in the final moments.
Bosch could only score one run on the last ball as Joseph bowled a full ball on middle stump. West Indies maintained courage to win by six runsSouth Africa’s winning streak in the series ended in dramatic fashion.
West Indies end T20 series against South Africa with a win#Cricket #SAvWI #3rdT20I pic.twitter.com/TOfrs2qiVA
– CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) 1 February 2026
West Indies left-arm spinner Gudakesh Moti was named player of the match for his brilliant performance with the ball.
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