South Africa v West Indies: Proteas chase record 259 as Johnson Charles & Quinton de Kock hit hundreds

South Africa chased 259 - the highest pursuit in T20 history - to beat West Indies by six wickets in a record-breaking second T20 international.

Opener Quinton de Kock smashed 100 from 44 balls as the hosts incredibly won with seven balls to spare in Centurion.

Johnson Charles had earlier hit a 39-ball century in West Indies' 258-5, the fastest T20 ton for their men's side.

But De Kock and Reeza Hendricks, who hit 68 from 28, shared an opening stand of 152 and the Proteas won at a canter.

They took 29 from the second over and reached 100 after 5.3 overs in a continuation of a remarkable display of six-hitting on a flat pitch at altitude.

Their total of 102-0 after six overs was the highest powerplay score in a men's T20 international involving Test-playing sides.

De Kock was caught in the 11th over and Hendricks in the 13th but their blistering start meant the Proteas were able to be relatively measured afterwards, captain Aiden Markram hitting an unbeaten 38 from 21 balls to take them over the line.

Charles beat the Windies record previous held by Chris Gayle by eight balls, also making it the joint fourth fastest ton in men's T20 internationals.

The right-hander was eventually bowled for 118 from 46 balls as West Indies racked up their highest T20 score, only for South Africa to do so themselves.

The stats from a record-breaking game

South Africa's pursuit of 259 is the highest T20 chase, beating Bulgaria's pursuit of 243 against Serbia in 2022.

  • The 517 runs combined is the highest match aggregate in a men's T20.

  • Johnson Charles' 39-ball century the fastest in men's T20s by a West Indies player and joint fourth-fastest by anyone in men's T20 history.

  • His century is the second-fastest by any West Indies player, one ball slower than Deandra Dottin's hundred against South Africa for the Windies women's side in 2010.

  • West Indies hit 22 sixes, equalling Afghanistan's record for a men's T20 international innings

  • South Africa's total of 150-0 is the highest score after 10 overs in a T20.

  • De Kock, whose 43-ball century was his first in T20 internationals, reached his fifty from 15 balls - beating his own record (17 balls) for the fastest T20 fifty for South Africa.

  • South Africa's David Miller, India's Rohit Sharma and Sudesh Wickramasekara of Czech Republic jointly hold the record for the fastest hundred in men's T20s, reaching three figures in 35 balls.

This article originally appeared on BBC Sport

Photo: Getty Images

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