Gayle blitz sets up record chase

Chris Gayle blasted 90 off 41 balls as the West Indies achieved a world record run chase in the second Twenty20 international on Sunday to beat South Africa by four wickets.

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis hit a 46-ball century in his team's total of 231 for seven -- their second highest total in the shortest form of the game. But it was overhauled with four balls to spare on a record-breaking day at the Wanderers with West Indies captain Darren Sammy finishing the match with a six to take his team to 236 for six.

Man of the match Gayle was again the star for the West Indies as he shared a second wicket stand of 152 off 75 balls with Marlon Samuels, who made 60.

It was astonishing batting by both teams in ideal conditions on a field where the world record 50-overs run chase was achieved by South Africa when they scored 438 for nine against Australia in 2005/06. The previous T20 record chase was 211 for four by India against Sri Lanka in Mohali in 2009/10.

The tempo of the match was set when Du Plessis and David Miller (47) put on 103 off 49 balls for South Africa's third wicket. Du Plessis hit five sixes and 11 fours, while Miller hit three sixes and four fours off 26 balls.

West Indies raced to 86 for one in the six-over power play, with Gayle and Samuels posting a fifty partnership off 21 balls. Samuels scored 60 off 39 balls with seven fours and two sixes.

South Africa were still in with a chance when medium-pacer David Wiese had Gayle caught behind in the 14th over and followed up with the wickets of Samuels and Kieron Pollard, both caught at long-on, in his next over.

At that stage the West Indies still needed 47 off 25 balls. Two more wickets fell but Sammy clinched the win by hitting an unbeaten 20 off seven balls, finishing the match by slamming Marchant de Lange into the crowd beyond midwicket.

South African opening bowler Kyle Abbott conceded a world record 68 in his four overs.

SCORES IN BRIEF:

SOUTH AFRICA: 231 for 7 in 20 overs (Du Plessis 119, Miller 47, Ontong 19; Holder 2-40, Bravo 2-32)

WEST INDIES: 236 for 6 in 19.2 overs (Gayle 90, Samuels 60, Sammy 20 not out; Wiese 3-43, Abbott 1-68)

Result: West Indies won by 4 wickets.

Player-of-the-match: Chris Gayle.