Series opener was ‘chaotic’, says Magala, after Proteas defeat

Sisanda Magala admitted the Proteas weren’t in as much control as they would normally be in a T20 International, after being edged by West Indies on Saturday in a match that was reduced to 11 overs a side due to the weather.

Having been sent in to bat, the hosts racked up 131 runs, but the tourists chased down their target with three balls to spare to win by three wickets in Centurion.

READ MORE: Proteas edged by Windies in weather-hit T20 clash

“It was a bit chaotic. In 11 overs anything can happen, but we assessed the situation in terms of how the pitch was playing and how they bowled,” Magala said.

“They used their short balls pretty well and the ball was very uneven, so decisions were kind of made on the fly, but we just went with it and backed it.”

All-round performance

Magala contributed 18 runs before leading the Proteas attack by returning 3/21 to play a key role for the home side.

While it was not enough to carry them across the line, the seam bowler was pleased to have shone with the bat, as well as the ball.

“It’s nice to return the favour. As a bowler you always get hit, so you always try your best to hit a couple of balls too,” he said.

The second of three matches in the T20 series between South Africa and West Indies will be played at SuperSport Park on Sunday, starting at 2pm.