West Indies beat South Africa in record Twenty20 run chase

West Indies take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series

West Indies completed the highest run chase in Twenty20 history as they beat South Africa by four wickets in a thrilling game in Johannesburg.

Skipper Faf du Plessis's 119 from 56 balls helped the hosts to 231-7, the fourth highest T20 international score.

Chris Gayle led the reply with 90 from 41 balls, smashing seven sixes and adding 152 with Marlon Samuels (60).

Gayle departed with 61 needed from 38 balls but skipper Darren Sammy saw the Windies home with four balls to spare.

Victory gave West Indies an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with the final game in Durban on Wednesday.

Gayle's powerful hitting took the tourists to 86-1 after the six-over powerplay after Sammy won the toss.

The left-hander also moved level with New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum's record of 87 sixes in T20 internationals.

Gayle fell 10 short of a century on the ground where he scored the first T20 international hundred

With West Indies needing 21 off 12 balls, South Africa retained hope of victory.

But Sammy hit Kyle Abbott for successive fours to leave only three required from the final over, and completed victory with a six over wide long-on.

It surpassed the previous highest successful Twenty20 run chase, which was Sussex's 226-3 against Essex at Chelmsford last summer.

Earlier, Du Plessis hit 11 fours and five sixes in his brilliant innings, while David Miller made 47 from 26 balls.

The Wanderers has been the venue for several international batting records.

In 2006, South Africa achieved the highest one-day international run chase, making 438-9 to beat Australia.

In September 2007, Gayle scored the first T20 international century, 117 from 57 balls, including a then record 10 sixes, against South Africa in the inaugural World Twenty20.

In the same tournament, Sri Lanka made 260-6 against Kenya, which remains the highest T20 international total.

West Indies all-rounder Bravo (right) was controversially left out of their World Cup squad