Markram powers SA to win over WIndies

Paarl, Jan. 29: Aiden Markram powered South Africa to a nine-wicket win in the first Twenty20 international against the West Indies at Boland Park on Tuesday.

The South African captain hit nine fours and three sixes in a career-best 86 not out off 47 balls as the hosts chased down a competitive West Indian total of 173 for seven with 13 balls to spare.

An opening partnership (also) of 83 off 47 balls with Lhuan-dre Pretorius (44) set the tone before Ryan Rickelton joined Markram and made 40 not out in an unbeaten second-wicket stand of 93 off 62 balls.

The three-match series is the final preparation for both teams before the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next month.

South Africa rested several players who were involved in the SA20 franchise final on Sunday, including first-choice opening batsman Quinton de Kock.

Pretorius, who is not in the World Cup squad, opened in De Kock's absence.

Markram said he was pleased with the depth in his squad.

"There are a few guys not here tonight who are good players. It's taken a few years to get where we are now. There are a lot of guys putting their hands up and it's a good space to be in."

Shimron Hetmyer hit 48 off 32 balls for the West Indies but no other batsman reached 30 in what captain Roston Chase said was a below-par total.

"We didn't have big partnerships. Players got in but didn't go on to make 60 or 70. Then we were poor with the ball in the powerplay," said Chase, who was standing in for tour captain Shai Hope, who had suffered a blow on a knee.

South African left-arm spinner George Linde was named man of the match. He took three for 25, sharing the new ball and then bowling the last over of the innings when he dismissed Hetmyer and Jason Holder and conceded only five runs.

England win ODI series 

Harry Brook and Joe Root hit contrasting centuries in a 53-run win over Sri Lanka to seal England's 2-1 one-day international series victory Tuesday.

Brook smashed an unbeaten 136 off just 66 balls with nine sixes and 11 fours and Root followed his half-century in the second ODI with 111 off 108 balls as England breezed to 357-3.

Pavan Rathnayake made 121 off 115 balls before he was the last batter to get dismissed and Sri Lanka got bowled out for 304 in the 47th over.

"Working on a few things in the nets and it paid off," Brook said. "Glad me, Rooty and Beth could get us to that total … Root is exceptional, to have him in the side helps every day."

Spinners once again made a big impact in England's first major ODI series win away from home since 2023 when Will Jacks (2-43), Liam Dawson (2-48) and Adil Rashid (2-61) grabbed six wickets.

It was Sri Lanka's first series loss at home in five years since it fell to India in 2021. Opener Rehan Ahmed (24) and Ben Duckett (7) missed out with Jacob Bethell hitting 65 and contributing in a 126-run third-wicket stand with Root, who dominated the spinners with his sweeps and reverse sweeps before raising his 20th ODI hundred.

But it was Brook's brutal assault in the final five overs that cost Sri Lanka 88 runs as he played a dominant part in a 191-run stand with Root off just 113 deliveries.

Experienced legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga, playing his first game of the series, and Jeffrey Vandersay ended up with expensive figures of 1-76 each from their quota of 10 overs while fast bowler Asitha Fernando was smashed for 10 boundaries and two sixes and ended up with 0-77 off his nine overs.

England had a shaky start when it reached 40-2 in the 11th over when Duckett fell in offspinner Dhananjaya de Silva's first over and Ahmed holed out of Hasaranga's third ball. Root and Bethell both showed plenty of confidence against both pace and spin before Bethell pulled Vandersay to deep mid-wicket in the 32nd over.

Brook used his feet well against the spinners before he exploded in the 43rd over just after Root had raised his century off 100 balls as the England skipper's clean hitting set Sri Lanka a daunting target.

Pathum Nissanka (50) made a rapid half-century off 25 balls and gave Sri Lanka a good start before he got dismissed inside the power play as the home team slipped to 94-3 in the 10th over.

Th 23-year-old Rathnayake, playing in his fourth ODI, showed plenty of promise, but England kept on striking through its three spinners. Rathnayake struck a dozen fours and a six before Sam Curran had him clean bowled with a perfect yorker as he tried to play across the line.

"The result was disappointing," Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka said. "Positive was we found a good player at No. 4, Pavan Rathnayake. (AFP/AP)