Skip to main content
West Indies and South Africa Play Out Thrilling Tie in WCL Showdown
Written by Leighton Levy. Posted in T20s. | 20 July 2025 | 456 Views
Tags: West Indies, Lendl Simmons, South Africa, World Championship of Legends, JP Duminy

In a dramatic finish befitting the legends on display, the West Indies Legends and South Africa Legends played to a tie in their World Championship of Legends (WCL) clash on Saturday, as rain forced a shortened match that delivered no shortage of tension.

Batting first in an encounter reduced to 11 overs per side, the West Indies Legends posted 79 for 5, thanks to composed contributions from Lendl Simmons and Chadwick Walton. Simmons struck 28 from 21 balls, including a four and two sixes  while Walton remained unbeaten on 27 from 21, matching Simmons’ boundary tally with one four and two maximums. Dwayne Bravo added a brisk eight in the closing overs.

South Africa’s bowlers were tidy in the limited-overs format, with Phangiso impressing with 2 for 19 from three overs. Hardus Viljoen, JJ Smuts, and Duanne Olivier chipped in with a wicket apiece to keep the West Indies total within reach.

Chasing a revised target of 81 via the Duckworth-Lewis method, South Africa got off to a steady start but soon found themselves under pressure. Veteran opener Hashim Amla made a cautious 15 from 18 balls before falling, while Sarel Erwee contributed a crucial 27 before being dismissed with the match hanging in the balance.

It was left to JP Duminy to anchor the chase, and the stylish left-hander delivered a valiant unbeaten 25 from just 12 balls, striking cleanly and finding gaps as the required rate climbed. However, despite Duminy’s best efforts, South Africa could only manage 80 for 5, falling agonizingly short by just one run to tie the match.

For the West Indies, Sheldon Cottrell was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 16, while Fidel Edwards also bagged two wickets for 21 runs, using his pace and variations effectively in the death overs.

JP Duminy was named Player of the Match for his composed, unbeaten knock that kept South Africa in the hunt until the final ball.

The result leaves both teams with plenty to reflect on but also underlines the fiercely competitive nature of the tournament, where the legends of the game continue to deliver gripping cricket action for fans around the world.