West Indies chose to bowl vs South Africa
No sooner had Rovman Powell announced his decision to put South Africa in to bat in the first T20I, when heavy rain came down at the Brian Lara Academy and delayed the start of play.
South Africa opted for an experimental combination which saw Ryan Rickelton open the batting with Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen slotted in at No.5. Donovan Ferreria and Patrick Kruger provided allround options and they chose three seamers and a specialist spinner in Bjorn Fortuin.
West Indies went with what Powell called a “normal West Indies combination,” of six batters, with Alick Athanaze to open with Shai Hope, two spinners and three seamers. Shamar Joseph and Matthew Forder were preferred ahead of Obed McCoy, who is the senior seamer in the squad, and Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie make up the spin attack.
West Indies: 1 Shai Hope, 2 Alick Athanaze, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Roston Chase, 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Rovman Powell (capt), 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Matthew Forde, 9 Akeal Hosein, 10 Gudakesh Motie, 11 Shamar Joseph
South Africa: 1 Reeza Hendricks, 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk) 3 Aiden Markram (capt), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Rassie van der Dussen, 6 Donovan Ferreira, 7 Patrick Kruger, 8 Bjorn Fortuin, 9 Ottneil Baartman, 10 Nandré Burger, 11 Kwena Maphaka