After picking up two convincing wins and sealing the T20I series, the West Indies head into the third and final T20I looking for a clean sweep, while South Africa will want to leave the Carribbean with at least one T20I win. 

Ahead of the third T20I between the West Indies and South Africa, here’s our match preview and predictions.

Also read: Cricket South Africa Sponsors 2024 | Cricket West Indies Sponsors 2024

West Indies vs South Africa 3rd T20 | South Africa tour of West Indies 2024 | 00:30 IST, August 28, 2024

For the visitors, batting has been a let-down. After a disastrous performance in the opening game, which was only salvaged by Tristan Stubbs, the Proteas failed to capitalise on the starts from a host of batters, with Stubbs once again among the runs, this time with Reeza Hendricks.

South Africa have a good amount of experience in the batting lineup with the likes of Hendricks, Aiden Markram, and Rassie van der Dussen and will hope that the big names step up in the final game. 

South Africa’s inexperienced bowling lineup has been exposed by the Windies, as the visitors have managed to pick up only nine wickets across the two T20Is. Lizaad Williams was amongst the wickets in the second game, while Patrick Kruger has been handy with both bat and ball.

The visitors have already lost the series and hence have nothing to lose, so expect a more free-flowing and aggressive game from Aiden Markram and his boys.

The Windies, on the other hand, have been getting strong starts with the bat, with both Alick Athanaze and Shai Hope in good touch and Nicholas Pooran alos among the runs. Captain Rovman Powell also had a good outing with the bat in the last T20I. In both the games, the hosts have put up scores of 175+.

Shamar Joseph has brought his red-ball form into the T20I series, having been the pick of the bowlers, and has been ably supported by Matthew Forde and Romario Shepherd. The young spinner Gudakesh Motie, while failing to be among the wickets, has made sure to put a stop to the runs in the middle overs in the last two games. As a whole, the Windies look the more balanced and well-oiled unit. 

This will be the third game in the span of a couple of days at Tarouba, which means it should be a slow-ish strip with a lot of assistance to the bowlers. Given the form they are in, the West Indies are the favourites to take the win in the third T20I as well and end the series with a whitewash, although the series finale should be a more close encounter, with the Proteas wanting to end their tour on a high. 

Fantasy XI: Aiden Markram, Alick Athanaze, Nicholas Pooran, Shai Hope, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Romario Shepherd, Patrick Kruger, Shamar Joseph, Ottneil Baartman, Matthew Forde

Venue: Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago

Winner Prediction: West Indies