South Africa vs West Indies, WI in SA, 3 T20Is, 2026 Jan 31 Full score card

On a length around off, Corbin Bosch punts this down to long off for a single. West Indies wins this by 6 runs on DLS.

8 needed off 1 ball. Shamar Joseph just needs to ensure he keeps his foot behind the line and that the delivery is legal.

DRAMA! The bat of Corbin Bosch splits in two and Rovman Powell ends up dropping the catch. On a length around middle and leg, Corbin Bosch looks to hammer this over long on but sees his bat split in two with the handle sticking into his hands and the rest of the bat hanging by a thread. The ball skies to long on but Rovman Powell drops it and the batters run two. Hang on, there is a check for a short run towards the non-striker's end and guess what, it is a short run from Corbin Bosch as he fails to ground the broken piece of his bat behind the crease as he turns over. Just one run for South Africa.

Excellent execution under pressure from Shamar Joseph. Corbin Bosch walks out to bat with South Africa needing 9 runs off 2 balls.

OUT! TIMBER! The West Indian flair, with the ball this time. A yorker, bang on the roots of the middle stump. Jason Smith looks to whip it away but gets beaten to the pace with which Shamar Joseph bowled this and sees his middle stump go for a cartwheel. What a sight this is, not just for Shamar Joseph but for Darren Sammy and his staff as well.

FOUR! Not convincing from Smith but four nonetheless. Full and on the pads, Jason Smith flicks this in the gap between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg for a boundary. 9 needed off the last 3 and this needs to fly.

Right in the slot from Shamar Joseph around off, Jason Smith fails to get right underneath it and ends up hitting this from the bottom of his bat to long on. Excellent running from Tristan Stubbs, who pushes Jason for the second, and the batters take two.

Shamar Joseph starts with a yorker, in the line of the stumps. Tristan Stubbs milks this to long on for a single.

Right then, 16 needed off the final over. Whom does Shai Hope turn to? Shamar Joseph or Romario Shepherd, who has not bowled so far tonight? It is going to be Joseph. A conference between the bowler, Shai Hope, Rovman Powell and Jason Holder.

Holder bowls a fuller one, on the pads. Tristan Stubbs steps inside the line of it and tickles this fine to fine leg for a single. Not a bad over from Jason Holder despite going for a huge six.

On a length going across the batter. Tristan Stubbs looks to swing through the line but gets beaten.

SIX! JUST WOW! Tristan Stubbs has dispatched this from the get-go. Short and going across the batter around his off-stump. Tristan Stubbs hangs deep inside the crease and pulls this deep into the grass banks toward the deep mid-wicket region for a gigantic biggie.

Yorker, around off, Tristan Stubbs tucks this through mid-wicket and scampers back for two.

Incredible catch by Roston Chase. The crowd goes silent. Tristan Stubbs joins Jason Smith out in the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT! Pitched up, wide outside off, George Linde stays leg side to it but chases this and swings at it. Gets it sliced off the outside of his bat, and the ball slices towards the right of Roston Chase at deep backward point. Chase runs well to his right, puts in a dive and holds onto it. George Linde departs for 17 off 9. South Africa need 25 off 10.

Short and wide of off, George Linde slaps this down to the left of long off for a couple.

South Africa need 27 runs off 12 balls. Who will bowl the penultimate over? It will be Jason Holder. Holder went for 19 runs in his only over so far.

Short and wide of off, George Linde punches this to sweeper cover for a run.

Pushed through around off, Jason Smith strides on top of the bounce and chips this straight to Shimron Hetmyer at deep cover. Shimron takes the catch but it doesn't matter as this is a Free Hit. Single taken.

NO BALL AND SIX! Jason Smith goes two better and tonks this away for a biggie. Short and on middle and off, Jason Smith rocks back into the crease and slogs this out of the park towards the deep square leg region for a biggie. More bad news follows for the Windies as Akeal Hosein has overstepped.

FOUR! Third boundary of the over already and Akeal Hosein still has two balls left to bowl. Quicker and flatter, wide outside off, Smith hangs back and slashes hard at it. Cuts this through the gap at the cover-point region for a boundary more.

FOUR! Even this has been smashed away to the fence for four. Short of a length around off, Jason Smith goes deep inside the crease and pulls this flat through the mid-wicket's left for four more. Things are getting closer towards the end of this contest and series.

Fired on off, Jason Smith punches this back to the bowler.

FOUR! Short of a length around middle and leg, Jason Smith hangs onto his back foot and smashes this flat and through the mid-wicket region for a boundary.

FOUR! Now that was intentional from George Linde. Short again from Shamar Joseph, around the leg. George Linde comes inside the line a shade and smashes this intentionally behind square on leg for a boundary.

Short and on off, Jason Smith pulls this flat to deep square leg for a single.

Slower one, around middle and leg, George Linde dabs this to fine leg for a run.

Back of a length wide outside off, George Linde slaps this behind mid off for a couple of runs.

SIX! GO FETCH THAT! Short and into the batter from Shamar Joseph. George Linde stays deep inside the crease and pulls this up and over the fence towards the deep mid-wicket region for a massive biggie.

Short and wide of off, going across the batter. George Linde hangs back and looks to cut it over point but misses.

Romario Shepherd will be a relieved man, having dropped Dewald Brevis earlier. Jason Smith is the new batter. Shamar Joseph comes in the attack. This is his first game of the series.

OUT! CAUGHT! Excellent relay catch from Rovman Powell and Jason Holder sees the back of Dewald Brevis. Short and into the batter, on middle and leg. Dewald Brevis plants his front foot away and looks to pull this away for a biggie. Gets hurried on as the ball skids onto the batter. Brevis ends up slicing this with the bottom hand off the handle of his bat and the ball lobs between long on and long off. Rovman Powell runs to his left from long on, grabs this and with his body momentum taking him over the fence, RP throws it to Jason Holder, who gives him cover running to his right from long off. Holder does the rest and Brevis walks back.

Quicker one, around middle and off, George Linde chips this to long off for a run.

George Linde walks out to bat. South Africa want to continue the left-hand, right-hand combination.

OUT! CAUGHT! Ryan Rickelton has to walk back after scoring 15 off 7. Short and wide of off, Ryan Rickelton hangs onto his back foot and smashes this flat towards the long on region. Doesn't get enough elevation to beat the tall figure of Holder at long off, with Jason grabbing this nice and steady.

SIX! That's been smashed out of the park for another biggie and this wasn't even hit from the middle. Fired wide outside off, Ryan Rickelton tries to reach out but ends up being a bit far from it, still goes through with the stroke. Ends up miscuing it off the cue end but getting enough to clear long off for a biggie.

Fired in, off, Ryan Rickelton swings and misses.

SIX! Ryan Rickelton joins the six-hitting party with Brevis. Tossed up from Gudakesh Motie, around middle and off, Ryan Rickelton sits down on a knee and slog sweeps this, taking on the fielder at deep mid-wicket region. Clears him with ease and adds six more.

SIX! Clean strike! Flighted delivery, full and on off, Brevis gets his hands through the ball and slams it back over the bowler's head for a flat six. 75 needed from 30 balls.

What has happened here? Did they not run? Oh, yes, no run was taken. Dewald Brevis backs himself to take on Roston Chase. Tossed up, on off, Brevis drills it to long off.

Short and on off, this is firmly hit wide of cover for a single.

In the air...but safe! The length is pulled back and a bit of turn, around off, on a length. Dewald has a big swing at it. Carves it off the outer half towards wide long off. Jason Holder runs to his left but fails to get there. He collects it on the bounce. They cross.

SIX! All the way! Chase pushes a full ball across the right-hander, Brevis reaches out and gets low. He cuts across it but manages to clear the leaping Jason Holder at long off for a six.

Pushes it through, short and on off, Ryan backs away and punches it to deep cover for a run.

Angled in at the hips, Rickelton tucks it in front of square for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! Rovman Powell makes no mistake. Motie bowls it very full but slower through the air, around off. Quinton looks to loft it down the ground. The bat turns in his hand and he hits it only as far as long on, where Powell takes the catch a few metres in off the ropes. South Africa are now 2 down for 34, needing 91 runs in 37 balls.

Short and on off, punched away to deep cover for just a single.

Full and on off, Quinton firms the drive to long off for one.

Tossed up, outside off, de Kock drops on a knee and looks to unleash the slog sweep but fails to connect.

PUT DOWN! Romario Shepherd shells it. A big moment in the game. Motie spots Brevis backing away and he follows him. Dewald attempts the pull but skies it towards mid-wicket. Romario takes a couple of steps to his left and settles under it. He gets his hands high at chest height but the ball clips his fingertips and goes down. Single taken.

End of the Powerplay. South Africa have managed to do well but the West Indies will feel they have had the better of the first 3 overs with a wicket and just 31 runs being scored off them.

A good comeback from Chase after conceding a boundary off the first ball. Shorter and outside off, Quinton presses back and goes hard on the pull. The ball grips and spins away to catch the toe-end and it is mishit by QDK to cover.

Four singles in a row! On middle, on a nagging length, Brevis tucks it beside the strip on the leg side and takes a quick single. Roston gets to the ball and fires in a throw at the bowling end. The ball deflects wide of cover off Dewald's bat but they do not run.

Flighted delivery, fuller and on off. Quinton presses forward for the block. The ball spins away and goes off the outside edge, wide of point for a single.

Brevis will feel that he missed out! Chase looks to fire it in but ends up serving a full toss, on middle and leg. Dewald is taken aback and he pats it to cover. They cross.

Drags the length back and finds a bit of turn, on off. Quinton cuts it behind point for a single.

FOUR! Smashed! A bit too full from Chase and quicker through the air as well, on off. De Kock gets under the ball and pumps it over mid on for a four.

Another one that grips and turns away, on the shorter side. Brevis whips it from the crease to mid-wicket.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! West Indies needed this wicket after an expensive first over. Hosein drops it short, on off. Markram rocks on the back foot to flat bat it down the ground. The ball grips and turns away to catch the toe end of the blade. It is skied to the left of the bowler. Hosein goes for the catch, as does Shimron Hetmyer from cover. A slight lack of communication between the two men, but Akeal settles under it and holds on. South Africa are 23/1, needing 102 runs in 49 balls.

Arm ball to the right-hander, on top of off, Markram gets on top of it and knocks it to cover.

Shorter and cutting across, Quinton taps it wide of cover and gets to the other end.

Full and curving away, Quinton drills it to the left of long on. Rovman Powell sprints to his left and slips but does well to lay a hand on the ball and prevent it from going past him. Two runs taken.

Good stop! Fractionally short, on off. Markram stays back and punches it to backward point, where Roston Chase dives to his left and keeps the batters down to a single.

19 runs have been scored off the opening over in this chase. Akeal Hosein will be bowling from the other end.

SIX! Nothing edgy about this one! Fuller and swinging back in at the pads. A lovely pick-up shot from de Kock and he parks it beyond deep backward square leg for a biggie.

FOUR! Off the edge! Back of a length, angled away. Quinton arches back and flashes hard. The ball takes a thickish outside edge that goes over short third for four more.

FOUR! Up and over! Fuller and a bit of shape back into the left-hander. De Kock swings through the line and although he does not quite middle it, he gets enough to clear mid on and collect a boundary.

Into the wicket, pushed across off. Quinton gets his hands to take on the short ball but misses.

FOUR! Not where QDK intended but he will take it! Angled in from around the wicket, on a back of a length. De Kock has a swipe across the line but gets a top edge that sails over short third for a four.

Markram and South Africa are away! On a length, on off, Aiden presses forward and drives it on the up to deep cover for a single.

SIX! A gift and Shimron Hetmyer accepts it gleefully! Bosch goes searching for the yorker, on off. Hetmyer needs no second invitation. He crouches and clobbers it over deep square leg for a big six. West Indies finish with 114!

Bosch misses his mark in an attempt to get the yorker in. It comes out as a low full toss, on middle. Romario cannot take full toll and mishits it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Just out of reach! Bosch hurls it full in length, on off, Shepherd gets his bat out in front to launch it over mid off. He slices it off the outer half over wide mid off. Aiden Markram turns around and goes after it. He slides and stretches his hands out in front but fails to get there. Two runs taken.

A big swing and a miss! Cross-seam delivery, on a back of a length, outside off. Shepherd hangs back and tries to mow it away in front of square on the leg side. He swings a bit too hard and connects with thin air.

Nearly in the blockhole, on middle. Hetmyer advances and powers it down to long on. Just a single.

Nails the yorker, at the base of the off stump. Hetmyer digs it out down the deck.

Romario Shepherd walks out to replace Rovman Powell in the middle.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Kwena Maphaka has the last laugh. Maphaka pushes the length up, outside off, Powell swings to big on the off side. Ends up losing his shape in the process and slices it towards deep cover. Dewald Brevis moves to his right in the deep and takes the catch whilst staying side on. Kwena is all pumped up as he punches the air.

SIX! Dispatched with disdain! Kwena bowls another off-cutter, on a short of a length, on middle. Powell takes a step inside the line and picks it up off the hips over long leg for a six.

Another swing and a miss! Pace off again, on a hard length, angled away. Powell gets his hands high and swings across the line but the ball goes under his bat.

Well bowled! Pace off and into the surface, over middle. Powell goes for the pull but the ball balloons over his blade.

Hits the hard length and it skids through, on off, Powell has a flap at it but is beaten for pace.

SIX! 'Welcome, Kwena,' says Rovman! Maphaka bangs it in short, at the bodyline of the batter. Rovman swivels and nails the pull over deep square leg. Deposits it onto the grass banks beyond the fence.

Kwena Maphaka replaces Corbin Bosch.

Short and on off, Powell dabs it through covers and picks up a single.

Rovman Powell joins Shimron Hetmyer out in the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT! Keshav Maharaj fights back! Cleverly bowled by Maharaj, this is slower, fuller and near the tramline. Hope reaches out to go down the ground. He fails to get any sort of elevation on the attempted lofted hit. Hits it flat and straight down the throat of long off, where Corbin Bosch runs in off the ropes and takes it around the midriff. 48 (25) for Hope. West Indies are 91/2.

SIX! Shai Hope gets in on the six-hitting act! Maharaj darts it in, on a nagging length, on middle. Hope gives himself room and whacks it over long on for a six.

Slows it down and drags the length back, does Maharaj. Finds a bit of turn, on off. Shimron swats it in frront of square for a single.

SIX MORE! Straight as an arrow! Very full, angling away, Hetmyer gets low and tonks it back over the bowler's head. He gets it from the toe end of the blade but still manages to clear the straight boundary.

SIX! Maharaj looks to push it across the left-hander. Serves it on a length, Hetmyer shuffles across and slams it over long on for a biggie.

Keshav Maharaj will be operating from the other end.

Low full toss, on middle. Hetmyer swings across but hits it straight to deep mid-wicket. A slight misfield in the deep by Dewald Brevis but that does not cost his side any extra runs.

Off-pace delivery, on a short of a length, outside off, this is slapped to deep point for a run.

Slanting into the right-hander, on a good length. Shai backs away to whip it across the line. He is unable to get his hands through the ball in a fashion he would have liked. It goes to the right of long on for a couple of runs.

Bosch bashes the surface, over middle. Shai attempts the reverse scoop but is beaten on the outside edge and the ball sails over the stumps.

Fuller and across off, Hetmyer clubs it on the bounce to the man at long on. They cross.

Angled in at the sticks, on a good length. Hope clears the front leg and has a big swing across the line. Smears it through square leg for a single.

We are all set for the play to resume after this brief break in play. Shai Hope has walked out with Shimron Hetmyer out in the middle. Corbin Bosch is all set to resume proceedings for South Africa.

UPDATE - 6.34 pm GMT - The news that all the cricket fans were eager to read. The play is set to resume, with the game now reduced to 10-overs-per-side. 6.40 pm GMT is when the play will resume.

UPDATE - 6.22 pm GMT - There is currently nothing new to report from the ground as the covers remain firmly placed over the pitch and the players are still confined to the dugout, waiting for a break in the weather. However, major news broke earlier from the wider cricketing world, as Australia faced a massive setback ahead of the World Cup with Pat Cummins being ruled out of the tournament. In a further shake-up to the squad, Matthew Short has also been omitted, with Ben Dwarshuis and Matt Renshaw called up to replace the duo for the upcoming campaign.

UPDATE - 5.53 pm GMT - Another interruption due to lightning, and according to Pommie Mbangwa, it is extremely close to the stadium. The safety of everyone involved is of paramount importance. We lost an hour and 15 minutes before play could begin, and let's hope this delay is not a lengthy one. A stop-start situation never helps a batting side.

Game stopped due to : Bad Weather Condition

Flighted delivery, on off, Shai lunges and knocks it through covers for a single.

Just 3 runs in the 5 balls so far.

Corbin Bosch is seen limbering up. He could be introduced soon.

Full and wide on off, Hetmyer drags it in front of long on and crosses over.

A decision that could have gone either way has gone in Shimron Hetmyer's favour.

Rapped on the pads! Not given by the umpire. Is it sliding down leg? Aiden Markram has a chat with the bowler and the keeper before going for the review. Speared in, full and on middle. Hetmyer gets down on a knee for the sweep but misses and gets hit on the front pad. No bat involved on UltraEdge. The Ball Tracking shows that the ball is clipping the leg stump. It is umpire's call. The on-field decision is upheld.

Pushed through, full and near the tramline. Hetmyer lets it be, thinking it is a wide but gets nothing from the umpire.

Full and on off, Hope eases it wide of cover and turns the strike over.

Floated up, on off, Hetmyer advances and has a heave across the line. He is nowhere near the pitch of the ball and he mistimes it to deep mid-wicket. They cross.

SIX! Another over where the bowler goes for 18. Short and on off, Shai Hope uses the depth of the crease and rocks back, pulls this over the fence towards the deep square leg region for a flat six.

We are done with the Powerplay. South Africa can now have a maximum of 5 fielders outside the 30-yard circle for the rest of the innings.

LEG BYE! Darted down the leg, Shimron Hetmyer looks for a slog sweep again but misses and gets it deflected off the pads for a run. Shimron Hetmyer can be heard yelling at himself for missing out on this opportunity to score more.

SIX! WOW! The ball has been given wings by both Hope and Hetmyer. Tossed up, on the pads, Shimron Hetmyer sits down on a knee and slog sweeps this deep into the crowd towards the deep square leg region for a massive six. 50 comes up for the Windies.

Quicker and flatter on the pads, Shai Hope rocks back inside the crease and pulls this flat to deep mid-wicket for one.

Fired into the batter, Shimron Hetmyer drills this down the ground for a run.

FOUR! Even Aiden Markram has been greeted into the attack with a boundary. Tossed up, around off, Shimron Hetmyer this time makes a bit of room by moving to his leg and smashes this through the covers region for a boundary.

Good last couple of overs for West Indies. 33 runs off the last 12 balls. Aiden Markram brings himself on.

SIX! This time to the onside for a biggie. Short and on middle and off, Shai Hope hangs back and slogs this out of the park towards the long on region for yet another biggie. 18 off Keshav Maharaj's first over.

SIX! DISPATCHED FROM THE GET-GO! Full and wide of off, Shai Hope moves away from the stumps, presents a horizontal bat and smashes this inside out over covers for a massively hit biggie.

Pushed through on the pads, Shimron Hetmyer flicks this to long on for a run.

Tossed up, wide of off, turning a long way back into the batter. Shimron Hetmyer gets it away to square leg.

Pushed through on the pads, Shai Hope tucks this to the right of mid on for a run.

FOUR! Keshav Maharaj has been greeted in the attack with a boundary. Full and wide of off, Shai Hope backs away from the stumps and lofts this inside out for a boundary towards the deep cover region.

Keshav Maharaj comes on as the first change.

SIX! Shimron is rampant. Good length on the pads, Shimron Hetmyer stays leg side to it and picks it up with a flick and deposits this into the stand towards the deep square leg region for a biggie.

Good length around off, Shai Hope looks to play the square cut but gets it chopped off the inside towards point for a run.

Lightning around the stadium. Shaun Pollock says it is closer than anything he has seen so far this evening. Play continues for now.

LEG BYE! Hard length, around the pads, Shimron Hetmyer goes for the flick but misses and gets it deflected off his thigh pads to short third for a leg bye.

Good length wide of off, Shimron Hetmyer pokes at it but gets beaten.

SIX! That is some start for Shimron Hetmyer. On a length around the pads, Shimron Hetmyer gets inside the line and flicks this towards the fine leg region for a huge six. Worrying signs in the audience as a fan tries to catch this on the staircase in that region and gets hit on the forehead with the ball.

Hard length wide of off, Shai cuts this off his back foot to deep point for a run.

Full and in the line of the stumps, Shai Hope flicks this through mid-wicket for a single to end the over. Excellent comeback from George Linde after being hit for a boundary on the first ball of this over.

Pushed through on off, Shai Hope blocks this off his front foot.

GL gives it a lot of air, lands it on off and turns it away from Hope. The batter gets drawn into the drive and gets beaten on the outside. Quinton de Kock whips the bails off. A quick check for stumping upstairs, but Hope had his back leg grounded inside the crease.

Linde looks like setting Hope up for that arm-delivery. Another one, fuller and flatter on off, Shai Hope punches this well but fails to beat extra cover.

Tossed up, around off, Shai Hope punches this straight to covers.

FOUR! Drifts one around off, it turns away after pitching. Shai Hope picks the length early, rocks back and slaps this through the left of extra cover for four runs.

West Indies lose an early wicket. Shimron Hetmyer walks in at number 3. It will be spin from the other end in the form of George Linde.

OUT! CAUGHT! Lungi Ngidi gets a breakthrough on the final ball of the very first over. On a length around off, shaping away again from Charles. The batter looks to play the lofted drive over short cover but miscues this off the cue end, and the ball is taken cleanly by the fielder at short cover. Jason Smith makes no mistake and grabs this cleanly.

On a length wide of off, shaping away from the batter. Johnson Charles stays leg side and swings at it but gets beaten on the outside.

Good length on middle and leg, Johnson Charles punches this to covers for a dot.

Hard length, around off. Shai Hope rocks back and stabs this to backward point for a strike rotation.

A touch fuller this time from Ngidi, wide of off, Shai Hope looks to play the square drive but the ball gets jammed to point.

FOUR! Well, this was worth the wait. Pitched up, around off, Shai Hope presses in front and nails the cover drive, with the bat contacting the ball in line with his head for a boundary through the covers region.

The wait is over. We are all set to go. Aiden Markram leads his men out onto the park. Shai Hope and Johnson Charles are the two openers for West Indies. Lungi Ngidi will start the attack for the Proteas. Ngidi to Hope. A slip in place. Away we go!

UPDATE - 5.04 pm GMT - Good news! The lightning has cleared, and play will resume at 5.15 pm GMT. It will be a 16-overs-per-side game. The Powerplay will last 4.5 overs. Only 1 bowler can bowl a maximum of 4 overs.

UPDATE - 5 pm GMT - We have started losing overs, and conditions are yet to improve for play to get underway. We encountered a similar situation here at the Wanderers during a SA20 game earlier this year, when lightning midway forced players off the field and was followed by rain. It eventually resulted in a no result. Let's hope this contest does not meet the same fate.

Words from the Proteas camp - Lungi Ngidi says Pink Day carries special meaning for him, with members of his family having been affected by breast cancer, and playing for a cause like this makes the occasion even more significant. He smiles and says that the series has witnessed some aggressive batting, with wickets not always favouring the bowlers. Ngidi also adds that it was great sharing the dressing room with a few players from the West Indies during the SA20.

A quick word - Akeal Hosein spoke briefly to the broadcaster ahead of the match. He believes venues like the Wanderers and Centurion demand extra runs as the ball travels quickly. He feels teams should look for an additional 15 to 20 runs and highlights the importance of using defensive options soon after the powerplay. Drawing from his SA20 experience, Hosein notes that conditions here can vary, with some surfaces offering turn while others remain good for batting. He adds that reading the conditions early, understanding the short and long boundaries, and using them smartly is key.

UPDATE - 4.15 pm GMT - There is still no rain, but play remains on hold due to lightning in the area. According to a few sources, the match officials will wait before making a decision on whether conditions are fit for play, with regulations requiring no lightning within a 30-kilometre radius of the stadium. We have an hour's buffer before we start losing overs. Stick around for further updates.

We are done with the pre-match formalities. There are a few threatening grey clouds around, but let's hope they stay away. Aiden Markram and his men disperse from the huddle and take the field. Uh, oh, there is lightning in the vicinity of the stadium, and the players are going off. It is not raining at the moment, but the ground staff are bringing on the covers as a precautionary measure.

We are moments away from the first ball, but before that, the two teams and match officials will line up for the national anthems. It is a packed house already, with many in the crowd dressed in pink for the occasion. It will be West Indies' anthem first, followed by that of South Africa.

PITCH REPORT - Pommie Mbangwa is pitchside. He shares that there was bright sunshine when the teams arrived at the Wanderers, but some cloud cover has moved in since. Mentions that the square boundaries measure 62 and 67 metres, with the straight boundary at 79 metres. Adds that due to the altitude, clearing the ropes should not be too difficult for the batters. Mentions that the surface looks very dry, with a mosaic effect throughout and not much grass binding it together. Feels that there will be enough for the spinners to work with, but whether the seamers can extract anything remains to be seen.

West Indies (Playing XI) - Shai Hope (C/WK), Johnson Charles (In for Brandon King), Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Matthew Forde, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Shamar Joseph (In for Jayden Seales), Gudakesh Motie (In for Sherfane Rutherford) and Akeal Hosein.

South Africa (Playing XI) - Aiden Markram (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs, George Linde (In for Anrich Nortje), Corbin Bosch (In for Marco Jansen), Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka and Lungi Ngidi (In for Kagiso Rabada).

The captain of West Indies - Shai Hope says that they would have bowled first as well, as they are not sure how the wicket will play and wanted to make first use of it. Shares that while the focus remains on winning every game, the broader objective is fine-tuning combinations and preparing for the World Cup.  Tells that there has been talk in the group about maximising the scoring, and it is a work in progress. Informs that they have made 3 changes for this game.

The captain of South Africa - Aiden Markram opted to bowl first, citing a dry pitch and the potential for incoming showers as key reasons for preferring a chase. Embracing the significance of the Pink Day occasion, Markram highlighted the team’s excitement to play for a larger cause while seeking to refine their game ahead of the World Cup. He urged his squad to play fearless cricket, viewing the match as a vital opportunity to assess players under pressure. As part of a planned rotation strategy, the Proteas made three changes to their lineup, bringing in Corbin Bosch, George Linde, and Lungi Ngidi.

TOSS - The coin goes up and comes down in favour of Aiden Markram. South Africa elect to BOWL first.

Pink day special - It is that day in the South African cricket calendar when they don pink jerseys to raise awareness and funds in the fight against breast cancer. It is usually during an ODI in the South African summer, but with no ODIs scheduled this season, the tradition is making its first appearance in a T20I today. Stay tuned for the toss and team news.

Windies with work to do - West Indies have shown noticeable improvement with the bat over the course of the series, but their bowling attack has struggled to make an impact. Fielding has also been a concern for the men in maroon, with lapses in both catching and ground fielding proving costly. Quentin Sampson may not yet possess a proven T20 pedigree, but West Indies have taken a punt on the hard-hitting right-hander based on his performances in the CPL. Tonight could be the ideal opportunity to give him a go before the World Cup.

South Africa on the rise - After failing to clinch their previous five T20I series, this outcome comes as a significant confidence boost for South Africa heading into the global event. There is further good news for the hosts, with David Miller medically cleared for the World Cup following an adductor muscle strain sustained during the SA20. In both games so far, Aiden Markram has won the toss and opted to chase, and should the opportunity present itself again, the Proteas may look to test themselves by defending a total.

Final tune-up in Joburg - Hello and welcome to our coverage of the 3rd T20I at the Wanderers Stadium. South Africa have already sealed the series with convincing wins in the first two matches and will be keen to complete a clean sweep. West Indies, meanwhile, will be eager to end the tour on a positive note and carry momentum into the upcoming World Cup.

... MATCH DAY ...

Final encounter - The three-match T20I series between West Indies and South Africa reaches its conclusion at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, but the series has already been decided. South Africa has secured an unassailable 2-0 lead with clinical nine and seven-wicket victories in the first two matches in Paarl and Centurion, respectively. This final match offers both teams a last chance to fine-tune combinations before the upcoming T20 World Cup. Proteas aim for the sweep - South Africa's performance has been dominant, with their batters, particularly Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, and Ryan Rickelton, making light work of large targets. De Kock's century in the second T20I highlighted their batting depth and aggressive approach. For this final game, the Proteas will be looking to complete a convincing 3-0 series sweep to build maximum momentum and confidence before they board their flight for the World Cup. They might also look to give some bench players an opportunity in this dead rubber. Windies seek bowling and top-order fixes - For the West Indies, the series has been a tale of batting firepower clashing with inconsistent bowling and top-order struggles. While the middle order, notably Shimron Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford, has performed exceptionally well with vital partnerships and high strike rates, the top-order has been brittle, and the bowlers have struggled to contain the flow of runs. Hetmyer's good form is a major positive, but the team desperately needs their bowlers, like Akeal Hosein and Romario Shepherd, to find their rhythm and restrict the opposition's scoring on what is expected to be another batting-friendly surface at The Wanderers. Form (Last 5 completed T20Is, most recent first) - South Africa - WWLLW | West Indies - LLWLL. Expect another run feast - As the series stands at 2-0 to South Africa, the final T20I will be all about pride and preparation. With both teams eager to finalize their optimal playing XIs and strategies, expect an exciting and competitive match as the West Indies push for a consolation win and South Africa chase a clean sweep.