WI VS RSA - 5th T20I, South Africa tour of West Indies, 2021

So South Africa pocket another trophy, and for a side that's almost forgotten what it feels like to win abroad, this would feel nice. Well, they're still overly reliant on Quinton, and are clearly playing one all-rounder too many, but nevertheless, with all their flaws, and against popular belief, they've done really well. Let's save the rant for another day. They've won, period. Okay, it was fun bringing you this, as I, Vineet Anantharaman, sign off on behalf of Raju Peethala, Abhinand Raghavendran and our scorer, Mukesh Gowda. Until next time, hopefully in a world where someone actually reads a Shamsi delivery, ta ta!!

Temba Bavuma | Winning captain: Delighted. Incredible from the boys. We were under pressure and we need to commend our ability to bounce back. Come the World Cup, it should be an incredible one to watch. This series can only boost our confidence. We haven't won much away from home. Looking forward to the World Cup, this win gives us confidence and belief as well. I believe things are gelling well for us. It was a hard fought series from a skill point of view. The management is satisfied that guys have fit certain roles. We really did enjoy this tour. We were disappointed when it was called off last year. It has been a great experience and I'm sure the younger boys will be looking forward to coming back next time.

Tabraiz Shamsi | MoS: I am someone who likes to do a lot of homework and watch footage. Not even in my wildest dreams did I think I'd have such a series. Credit to the full bowling group. There is a running joke in the team that the safest place to hit the ball is back at me (laughs). After the first game we played, people were calling for 5-0. We are very inexperienced, but that doesn't mean there is a lack of skill. To beat a team such as WI, one of the World Cup favourites is special. It is just about being strong and be prepared to be hit for sixes. There will be opportunities coming with that. Linde has been working hard too, full credit to him, he has been working really hard. Our best performance was in the finals, and that's what experience brings.

Kieron Pollard | Losing captain: The total seemed like a winning total for us. We had three opportunities in this series to chase 160 but we couldn't. But the disappointing thing for us is that we keep making the same mistakes over and over and over. We set up the game well for the guys in the shed. Well played to Quinton and South Africa. He was fantastic for them, he changed the momentum of the series. The young bowlers for us, McCoy, Sinclair and Bravo coming good were fantastic. The batting was disappointing. It's good we have such outings, but we need to regroup and learn with Australia coming soon. Our squad is there and there about. We need to look at some of the guys because of what transpired. We want people to show it matters. I like to deal with the present. This series is done, the World Cup is two months away, so let's not plan too far ahead and deal with what's ahead of us.

Aiden Markram | MoM: I always want to score runs and make a difference. Luckily it went well today. For a majority of the time, we were good with the bat today. A lot of credit has to go to Quinton, he has played a lot of T20 cricket. He has played in all conditions and knows what to do. He was guiding me throughout and he has spent a lot of time on this wicket. He had a great series on these tough wickets. It was only a matter of time before he got going, he's a class player. Credit to the fielding coach, he puts us through the yards. The attitude of the players towards Justin Ontong as the fielding coach has been great to see. He keeps raising the bar and it is exciting to see.

Kagiso Rabada: Anrich wanted to play the game today, it was a big loss for us simply because of the performances that he's put in for the team. We had to come in with a fresh mindset and whoever's gonna come in, his part's to deliver. Wiaan Mulder came in and he did just that. We want to create a culture where no matter who plays, you have to believe that you can win. We are rebuilding as a team, we are a very young team, guys are hungry and passionate to want to get back to the top. I am glad that the people other than us can see that. In the end, that's why we won. We're gonna take confidence from winning both series. It was amazing winning the Test series. We hadn't won outside of home for about four years and then coming in against World Champions, West Indies team is extremely talented, extremely strong side and experienced as well. We've learnt a lot especially in this format from them and playing against them. This is a massive confidence booster for us.

Wiaan Mulder: It's incredible, the boys were excited to come to the West Indies and play probably the best side in the world. To win a series here is pretty incredible. Those are really two big players - Russell and Pollard. I was quite nervous. Pollard kept giving me a bit of stare down. That (back-to-back wickets) was a bit of turning point in the game. We needed to take a couple of wickets and luckily it was my opportunity today. We thought it was probably par. We thought they'd have to bat well to get the runs. We also knew we had to bowl well. Shami showed why he's the best in the world and it was pretty much a team effort. Everybody got wickets today. For South Africa, it's a great start, we are trying to rebuild, lot of young guys in our set-up in the Test team as well as the T20s. Beating the World Champions is always special.

17:53 Local Time, 21:53 GMT, 03:23 IST: The scorecard will show you a 25-run defeat, but that does no justice whatsoever to the drama we've had. And in some style, the Proteas, with Shamsi spinning an unplayable web in the middle and then their seamers churning out slower ball after slower ball after slower ball, have stolen this in the second half. To be fair, 169 was a pretty good target. So Lewis was in the mood and went nuts in the powerplay, Gayle looked good too, Hetmyer scratched around for quite some time. But Pollard tearing his hamstring, all for one quick single was where the West Indies lost this. The asking rate was still around 10, but with runs out of the equation, Mulder strung in the dots, produced a miscue, and just to make sure he sealed it, got Russell off the very next ball. Okay, keep reading, we're transcribing the interviews for you ..

Ngidi to F Edwards, no run, quite the apt end: wide yorker, off-paced, swing, miss. And it's officially 3-2 to South Africa ..

Ngidi to F Edwards, no run, full, outside off. But slow. And a usual big swing, and the usual miss

Ngidi to F Edwards, no run, 111kph, slow, short, outside off. Edwards lines up to cut, gets totally done in by the lack of pace, ends up looking to stab, and misses out on that as well

Ngidi to Akeal Hosein, 1 run, 137kph, wide full toss. Slapped hard, deep extra cover

Fidel Edwards, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Ngidi to Obed McCoy, out Caught by Mulder!! Just formalities, and McCoy knows, so he swings across the line, doesn't get hold of this slow back of a length into-the-pitch stuff, to find deep mid-wicket by the fence. Obed McCoy c Mulder b Ngidi 1(3)

Ngidi to Obed McCoy, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Ngidi to Obed McCoy, no run, 118kph, smart change of pace, pitched up, just outside off, and a massive swing across the line, with a bigger miss in connection

Rabada to Akeal Hosein, no run, foxy slower bouncer. And a clueless Hosein swings, and misses

Rabada to Obed McCoy, 1 run, another neat wide yorker. McCoy swings, gets a thick outside-edge flying away wide of third man

Rabada to Akeal Hosein, 1 run, low wide full toss, sliced hard, to deep point

Obed McCoy, left handed bat, comes to the crease