Unbelievable! Proteas shatter record for highest chase in T20I history on famous day for SA cricket

Strictly speaking, the occasion didn't warrant it - they do have bigger fish to fry against Netherlands next week - but an electric SuperSport Park on Sunday relived a '438' moment of sorts in the Proteas' second T20 against the West Indies.

Aiden Markram and his troops needed to overhaul 258/5 - the tallest chase in the history of T20 internationals - and duly did so, 17 years after Graeme Smith's vintage famously surprised the Australians in a world record 50-over chase of 435 at the Wanderers.

SCORECARD | Proteas v West Indies - 2nd T20

On that day, not many cricket fans and observers around the world believed a required rate of 8.68 could be sustained, and while the wild evolution of the 20-over format has illustrated to us that a chase of 244 - like Australia managed against New Zealand in 2018 - is possible, 13 an over still would've seen a fair share of Doubting Thomases emerge.

Whether it was just the cheery optimism of starting a new white-ball era under Rob Walter or a Jacques Kallis walking into a muted dressing room quipping, 'The bowlers have done their job boys – I reckon they're 10 or 15 short', the South African batting order weren't going to stick to a script asking them to surrender meekly.

Instead, Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks crafted one of the most astonishing and memorable opening partnerships in the history of the format to orchestrate this absurdly thrilling, series-levelling victory.

By the time the powerplay was done, the Proteas had reached 102 without loss, incidentally eclipsing the world record of 98 their selfsame opponents set against Sri Lanka in 2021.

The 150 was reached in 10.2 overs, three balls before De Kock would be dismissed after skying a pull to Nicholas Pooran behind the stumps.