With the help of Rabada and Maharaj, South Africa got a spectacular victory in the 2nd test.
South Africa secured a 10th successive Test series win against West Indies, and earned a vital second win in the World Test Championship 2023-25, with a hard-fought 40-run victory in Guyana. In the process, Keshav Maharaj became the most successful spinner in their Test history with 171 wickets, including five in this match and 13 in the series. His success eclipsed an exceptional effort from Jayden Seales, who took 12 wickets across the two matches and a career-best 6 for 61 in South Africa's second innings in Guyana.
Seales guaranteed West Indies were left with a gettable, yet intense, focus of 263 and their pursuit had every one of the makings of a work of art. They drooped to 104 for 6, preceding a 77-run stand between old neighborhood legend Gudakesh Motie and Joshua Da Silva put them inside sight of a memorable triumph. Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada, South Africa's two most dependable bowlers on the visit, denied the hosts regardless of a battling exertion from the tail.
In a series that was extreme for players without any hundreds of years across the two Tests, no West Indian got a second-innings 50 years and they had just a single organization over fifty in the match. Conversely, two South African hitters got fifties in the subsequent innings and had three 50 years remains in the match. The 63-run 10th wicket stand between Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger in the principal innings demonstrated definitive as well.
By and large, it was a series for the bowlers, who profited from a surface that was extreme for run-scoring in Trinidad and a setting with swing, crease development and great skip in Guyana. Shamar Joseph partook in his most memorable home Test with 5 for 33 in the main innings yet an aggregate exertion from South Africa's assault gave them the edge where it made the biggest difference.
Wiaan Mulder, working as the third seamer and sole crease bowling allrounder, took six wickets in the Test, scored a significant 34 in the subsequent innings and partook in a 85-run 6th wicket organization with Kyle Verreynne to set up South Africa's success. His commitments moderated a portion of the inquiries over South Africa's group sythesis. They were a bowler short in Trinidad and a hitter short in Guyana yet figured out how to protect a complete on a surface that was just three days old and improved for batting.
Set 263, West Indies lost Mikyle Louis in the fifth over when he pushed forward and edged Rabada to Mulder at third slip. Three overs later, Rabada thought he had a subsequent when Kraig Braithwaite, on 17, was given out lbw however the West Indian skipper surveyed and replays affirmed the effect was outside off. West Indies went to lunch on 43 for 1.
Braithwaite just added eight runs before Mulder beat his inside edge and hit him on the knee roll. He was given out once more and evaluated once more, fruitlessly. Mulder might have had Keacy Carty, on 17, in his next over when he cut a wide ball to point yet Mulder had exceeded. Three balls later, South Africa evaluated a Burger appeal for lbw to Alick Athanaze which was likewise outside the line and their disappointment arrived at limit. It cooled when Carty cleaved Mulder on without adding to his score and South Africa were back in it.
Kavem Hodge met fire with fire and took on the short ball. He got Mulder through mid-wicket and square leg and afterward scored two limits off three Rabada conveyances however played a single shot such a large number of when he inside-edged Rabada onto the stumps. By that stage, offspinner Piedt had been brought into the assault without precedent for the coordinate and enticed Athanaze with full, flighted conveyances. Athanaze battled to turn the strike over, in the end went for a rash breadth and top-edged behind the guardian. Aiden Markram ran back from slip to take a decent, high catch.
Athanaze's slip-up could be accused on naiveté yet when Jason Holder, the best player from West Indies' most memorable innings, holed out to long-on in Piedt's next finished, it was a sign South Africa's choke was working.
Enter Motie, who had a frustrating series with the ball, however did his piece with the bat. Motie and Da Silva took the objective to under 100. Motie was especially serious on Piedt and took 18 runs off the 14 balls he looked from him however his endeavors to take on Maharaj were not as effective. Motie was hit on the front cushion as he moved back to raise a ruckus around town arm spinner away and was given out lbw. He audited yet ball-following showed it was cutting leg stump. Da Silva went in basically the same manner in Maharaj's next finished, and furthermore requested that the third umpire see, yet the innovation was in South Africa's approval and Maharaj equalled Hugh Tayfield as South Africa's driving spinner.
With simply two wickets left to get, and Rabada two away from 300, he was welcomed back on and took steps to deliver the merchandise before long. Jomel Warrican edged him wide of second slip and afterward Joseph offered an opportunity that went among second and third slip as both Markram and Mulder left the ball for one another. Rabada was enraged however the irritation didn't keep going long. Four balls later, Joseph pulled him to mid-on where Temba Bavuma got hang-time with the two feet off the floor and culled the ball in his outstretched right hand to finish the catch of the series.
Rabada was one wicket away from 300 yet could unfinished the accomplishment in the match. Maharaj surpassed Tayfield when Seales cut him to David Bedingham at short leg and South Africa celebrated. Seales had been vocal with them all through the match, so excusing him to get triumph was much better for South Africa. It would have stung Seales, who was instrumental in South Africa's breakdown. They lost their last five wickets for 22 runs in 65 balls, remembering the initial three wickets for 8 runs for 15 balls.
Warrican struck in the primary over when Mulder decided to remain back in his wrinkle and endeavor a flick yet missed an arm ball and was hit on the back cushion. That early advancement incited Kraig Braithwaite to approach Seales sooner than he might have arranged, with the second new ball nine overs away. An under-tension Maharaj chipped the second ball he looked to Motie at mid-wicket and enrolled a third progressive duck on the visit.
Seales' next one was all expertise as he beat Kyle Verreynne's inside edge with a conveyance that calculated into him from wide of the wrinkle. It likewise affirmed Seales' second Test five-for. Piedt and Rabada started to lead the pack more than 250 however one over and one conveyance before the second new ball was expected, Rabada proceeded to impede Warrican and edged to Hodge at slip.
West Indies required the second new ball when it was free and Seales succeeded. Burger drove the fourth ball back to him and Seales responded rapidly to take the catch with two hands to one side to end South Africa's innings 50 minutes into the third day. Burger's duck was the third of the innings and seventh of the counterpart for South Africa, their most beginning around 1932.
South Africa are currently up to fifth on the WTC focuses table, with six matches left to play. West Indies stay 10th, with only one win.