Rovman Powell insists West Indies must not get too far ahead of themselves after what he saw as an "unacceptable" level of rustiness against South Africa.
The Windies won by seven wickets in Friday's T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
They have now won five of their last six T20Is against the Proteas, having bounced back from a three-wicket defeat at the T20 World Cup in June.
However, Powell was far from happy with what he saw, with South Africa posting a competitive 174-7 - Tristan Stubbs top-scoring with 76 and Patrick Kruger adding 44.
Powell said: "I think it's always good to go 1-0 up. We bowled well in the powerplay and though we let them off a bit, we were good with the bat.
"The guys look a bit rusty, which is unacceptable at this level.
"To be honest, a lot of talk is around the next T20 World Cup but we have to play one game at a time and see different players. We have to stay in the moment and the 2026 T20 World Cup is too far for us."
Shai Hope's 51 and Alick Athanaze's 40 got the Windies' chase off to a strong start, paving the way for Nicholas Pooran to take centre stage with an unbeaten 65, which included reeling off four straight sixes in one over.
"I just felt like Shai and Alick put South Africa under pressure in the powerplay," said Pooran, who was named Player of the Match.
"At the ten-over mark, we knew it was a better wicket and my job was simple and I just had to take on my match-ups.
"With rain around, the first ten overs were tricky when South Africa batted. Stubbs and Kruger played well, but we knew the wicket would get better."
Along with Stubbs' performance with the bat, one other bright spark for South Africa in their defeat was teenager Kwena Maphaka, who claimed his maiden international wicket.
"Maphaka has a lot of X-factor and is really young," said Proteas captain Aiden Markram. "He has hunger when you speak to him off the field and he wants to win games for South Africa."
Erin Burns guides Warriors to eight-wicket victory over TKR
Chasing 131 in good batting conditions, the Warriors were in deep trouble at 15-2 before Burns combined with captain Lauren Winfield-Hill (46 off 47 balls) for an unbroken 119-run partnership in the competition’s highest ever stand.
Spinner Chloe Tryon had clawed Warriors back into the contest with 4-21 after a half-century opening partnership from captain Deandra Dottin and Harshitha Samarawickrama threatened to lift the Knight Riders to a huge score.
Knight Riders’ total of 130-6 proved under par as Warriors mowed down the target with 16 balls to spare.
Both teams were desperate after losing to Barbados Royals in their opening matches. Warriors hoped for early movement, having elected to bowl under overcast skies, but were blunted by Samarawickrama and Dottin.
Samarawickrama, who has replaced the injured Meg Lanning, unfurled elegant strokes through the off-side and also pounced on short-pitched bowling as Knight Riders reached 37/0 after the powerplay.
Shabnim Ismail unleashed express pace with the new ball, but she was thwarted by the determined openers keen on getting their team off to a strong start after top-order struggles against Royals.
Ismail’s mood soured further when she produced an edge off Samarawickrama in the sixth over only for Burns, normally such a brilliant fielder, fumbling a regulation chance at wide slip.
The partnership reached 50 before Tryon struck with her first delivery after Dottin was well caught by Ashmini Munisar diving forward at gully.
Tryon then struck in her next over when Samarawickrama was clean bowled after failing to execute a reverse sweep. Knight Riders were bogged down in the middle overs, unable to find the boundary during a sedate 45-ball stretch.
Jemimah Rodrigues and Jess Jonassen broke the shackles with a quick 44-run partnership. But Tryon dismissed the dangerous Jonassen for 28 and also Kycia Knight in the penultimate over as Warriors continued their fightback.
Warriors’ momentum was snuffed with the early wickets of Natasha McLean and Stafanie Taylor as Jonassen and seamer Shikha Pandey bowled brilliantly in the powerplay.
The pressure fell on Winfield-Hill and Burns, who counterattacked down the ground and worked the gaps on the leg-side.
Burns received luck along the way, dropped on 32 by Jonassen at midwicket and she reached her half-century off 32 balls when Anisa Mohammed spilt a catch at short midwicket.
Warriors’ strategy to chase in dewy conditions proved a masterstroke as Burns hit consecutive boundaries to open her team’s account in the tournament.
West Indies dominate South Africa to go 1-0 up in T20I Series
The West Indies took advantage of an inexperienced South Africa bowling line-up to take a 1-0 T20I Series lead at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Friday.
The hosts, after winning the toss and electing to field first, took advantage of some bowler friendly conditions early due to an hour-long rain delay to have the South Africans reeling at 42-5 after eight overs.
A 71-run sixth wicket partnership between Tristan Stubbs and Patrick Krueger made things more respectable for South Africa.
They eventually made 174-7 from their 20 overs, an excellent recovery from where they were at the halfway stage.
Stubbs starred with a 42-ball 76 including eight fours and three sixes while Kruger made 44 off 32 balls.
Matthew Forde was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with 3-27 from his four overs.
The hosts then needed only 17.5 overs to reach 176-3. Openers Alick Athanaze and Shai Hope put on 84 for the first wicket and set an excellent foundation for the rest of the chase.
Nicholas Pooran, in his turn in the middle, took advantage of that foundation with a brutal 65* off just 26 balls including two fours and seven mighty sixes.
Shai Hope made 51 in support while Athanaze made 40.
Ottneil Baartman took 2-30 from his four overs for South Africa.
The second game of the series is set for Sunday at the same venue.
Bell lauds 'world class' Smith after maiden England Test century
Sri Lanka batting coach Ian Bell believes Jamie Smith will be a "world class player" for years to come with England after striking his maiden century against Sri Lanka on day three of the first Test.
Smith, who started on 72 after rain halted play on the second day, scored 111 from 148 deliveries at Old Trafford, claiming his ton in the 77th over of proceedings.
He had a strike rate of 75.00 and showed 90% control through the balls he faced, the most controlled Test century by an Englishman since Joe Root versus India at Edgbaston in 2022 (92%).
Smith also became the fifth wicketkeeper to score a ton for England at Old Trafford, after Alec Stewart (three times), Godfrey Evans, Jack Russell and Ben Foakes.
And Bell, whose 7,727 runs put him ninth on England's all-time list in Tests, has seen first-hand the 24-year-old's talents, having worked with him for England Lions and Hundred side Birmingham Phoenix.
"He's going to be a world-class player for England over a long period of time," said Bell. "He's confident, and he's taken to international cricket with ease," he said.
Surrey's Smith was given the gloves by England ahead of county team-mate Foakes and Jonny Bairstow for the series against West Indies.
He missed out on a maiden century in the third Test against the Windies, scoring 95 at Edgbaston, but made no mistake with 111 in Manchester on Friday.
But Bell believes there is still more to come from Smith on the international stage after his showing in Manchester.
"The small part that I played in his development, I've watched a guy who's worked extremely hard," said Bell.
"I'm sure he's going to be a massive part of this England team in all formats over a long time."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
