South Africa completes T20 winning chase record with 259-4

South Africa's Quinton de Kock, right, plays a reverse swing during the second T20 cricket match between South Africa and West Indies. Photo / AP

South Africa completed the highest successful chase in Twenty20 international cricket to reach 259-4 and beat West Indies by six wickets in a record-breaking game overnight.

West Indies was asked to bat first in the second game of the series and made 258-5, meaning the match at Centurion was the first T20 international where 500 or more runs were scored.

South Africa chased down the huge target with seven balls remaining after Quinton de Kock smashed 100 from 44 balls for his first T20 international century, and fellow opener Reeza Hendricks hit 68 from 28.

Their 152-run stand for the opening wicket put South Africa on its way to its record-breaking chase. Captain Aiden Markram guided the Proteas home with his 38 not out, leaving the series level at 1-1 with one game to play.

South Africa’s pursuit of 259 is the highest T20 chase, beating Bulgaria’s pursuit of 243 against Serbia in 2022 while the 517 runs combined is the highest match aggregate in a men’s T20 history.

“We just wanted to give our side a bit of hope and that’s what we did,” de Kock said of his partnership with Hendricks.

Johnson Charles flayed 118 from just 46 balls to set up West Indies’ big total, with support from Kyle Mayers, who made 51, and Romario Shepherd, who hit 41 not out.

Charles’ innings was the fastest T20I century by a West Indies batter, his 39-ball knock eight quicker than the previous record set by Chris Gayle in 2016. Only David Miller of South Africa, Rohit Sharma of India and Sudesh Wickramasekara of Czech Republic — all in 35 balls — have scored faster T20I centuries.

Charles smashed 11 sixes to play a big part in another record for the game. There were 35 sixes, the most for a T20 international. Charles also hit 10 fours in an innings that seemed destined to give West Indies a series victory, but de Kock and South Africa had other ideas.

“It was pretty, pretty crazy,” West Indies captain Rovman Powell said. “When we came off halfway we thought we had enough. But credit to Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks. They applied pressure from ball one.”

The teams will now play a series-decider in Johannesburg on Tuesday.