Pollard slams batsmen after 16-run defeat

West Indies captain Kieron Pollard says his team needs to understand and assess situations better, especially when batting, if they are to come out on the winning end in future encounters.

The regional side suffered a 16-run loss to South Africa in the second T20 international in Grenada to leave the series level at one game apiece with three matches to go.

Pollard, while praising the team's bowling effort, lamented the missed opportunity with some of the senior batters within the team.

"I don't want to take away the natural instinct of individuals but there are certain individuals that are posted with responsibilities to do certain things for the team. When you don't do it for the team and you haven't been accountable to the team, that is where you start to have conversations," said Pollard.

The West Indies, who asked South Africa to take the first strike once again, restricted the Proteas to 166 for seven with captain Temba Bavuma leading the batting charge with 46 from 33 balls and opener Reeza Hendricks getting 42 from 30.

Hendricks and Quinton de Kock once again got off to a flying start, putting on 73 runs for the first wicket before off-spinner Kevin Sinclair had De Kock caught behind on review for 26.

The visitors were eyeing a big score at 122 for three in the 14th over, but Sinclair (2-23) and Obed McCoy (3-25) pegged back the innings with the Proteas scoring just 70 runs in the last 10 overs.

In their run chase, the West Indies started brightly with openers Evin Lewis and Andre Fletcher blasting a quick-fire 31 in the first three overs.

After Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada picked up the wickets of Lewis for 21 and Chris Gayle for eight, spinners George Linde and Tabriaz Shamzi then came to the party to halt the Windies momentum with some excellent slow bowling.

Man-of-the-Match Linde bagged two for 19 and Shamzi one for 16 to rip the heart out of the West Indies middle-order which included Nicholas Pooran, who made nine, Pollard (1) and Andre Russell (5). Kagiso Rabada ended with three for 37 including the wicket of the innings top-scorer Andre Fletcher who made 35.

Fabian Allen came towards the back end with a late order flurry to finish with 34, but it was a little too late.

The teams will square off again on Tuesday in the third match of the series at the same venue starting at 1 p.m. Jamaica time.