In chilly climes and seam-bowling pleasant circumstances, India registered a cushty seven-wicket victory over South Africa within the third T20I on the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday, and take a 2-1 lead within the five-match collection.
After the spinners and seamers mixed to bundle out South Africa for 117 in seam-friendly circumstances, India chased down 118 with 25 balls to spare. Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav picked two wickets apiece, whereas Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube chipped in with a scalp every, as South Africa by no means recovered from being diminished to 30/4 inside seven overs.
India’s chase was powered by Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 35 off 18 balls within the powerplay. Shubman Gill (28) and Tilak Varma (25 not out) struggled for fluency, whereas Suryakumar Yadav fell for 12. However Abhishek’s early assault meant the goal was all the time inside attain, as Shivam Dube (10 not out) completed the job with some clear hitting.
India’s chase started in explosive style as Abhishek took Lungi Ngidi aside within the opening over – pulling for six, glancing for 4 and lofting over cowl for an additional boundary. The left-hander struck three extra boundaries in his 35 off 18 balls earlier than South Africa captain Aiden Markram produced a superb working catch at long-off to finish his keep, although by then India have been properly forward of the asking price.
However, Gill, after surviving an lbw attraction in opposition to Marco Jansen, struck him for boundaries, earlier than taking a brace of fours off Ottniel Baartman. Promoted to quantity three, Tilak Varma opened his account with a steer to 3rd man off Corbin Bosch and added additional boundaries through edges and clips to maintain India’s chase firmly on observe.
However with seam motion on provide, Gill by no means seemed set and his scratchy keep got here to an finish within the twelfth over when he chopped on to his stumps in opposition to a size supply angled in round fourth stump by Jansen. Suryakumar teed off with back-to-back boundaries off Lungi Ngidi – a lofted drive over long-off was adopted by pulling a back-of-length supply over midwicket.
However Ngidi had the final giggle as Suryakumar formed for his trademark clip over wonderful leg, however holed out within the deep. Dube utilized the ending touches by lofting over long-on off Baartman for an 80-metre six, earlier than pulling a brief ball via midwicket for 4 to seal a dominant win for India.
Beforehand, Markram fought arduous to hit a fluent 61 off 46 balls, however discovered little assist as solely Donovon Ferreira (20) and Anrich Nortje (12) reached double figures. India’s bowling assault remained relentless and made probably the most of conducive circumstances regardless of the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel.
Having gone for runs within the earlier outing, Arshdeep struck early to offer India the proper begin. The left-arm pacer discovered motion to beat the skin fringe of Reeza Hendricks twice, earlier than nipping one again to entice the opener lbw, with the DRS additionally confirming the identical.
India struck once more when Quinton de Kock missed a full straight supply from Rana whereas enjoying throughout the road, and was trapped lbw. In his subsequent over, Rana struck once more when Dewald Brevis went for a canopy drive, however chopped onto his stumps.
Pandya joined the 100-wicket membership in T20Is – and the third bowler from India to succeed in the landmark – as Tristan Stubbs tried to information a back-of-length supply pitched outdoors off stump in the direction of third man, however solely managed to nick behind to wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma.
India’s seamers continued to dominate when Dube obtained one to chop again in sharply and flattened Bosch’s leg-stump. Amidst the carnage, Markram timed his drives, punches and flicks very properly, whereas Ferreira briefly fought again with a towering no-look six off Kuldeep and a pulled 4 via midwicket in opposition to Dube, although he was additionally given a reprieve when Arshdeep dropped him at long-on.
However Ferreira’s aggressive method ended when a googly from Chakaravarthy beat him comprehensively and rattled the stumps. In his subsequent over, Chakaravarthy castled Jansen via the gate with one other deadly googly. Markram marched ahead to choose a 4 off Dube, because of misfielding within the deep, earlier than slicing, swinging and lofting Rana for a 4 and two sixes, which additionally introduced up his fifty in 41 balls.
However his innings quickly led to an anticlimactic style as he nicked behind off Arshdeep to Jitesh whereas going for an expansive drive. Birthday boy Kuldeep rounded off the innings by dismissing Nortje and Baartman within the remaining over to maintain South Africa three runs in need of 120.
Temporary Scores: South Africa 117 all out (Aiden Markram 61, Donovan Ferreira 20; Varun Chakaravarthy 2-11, Kuldeep Yadav 2-12) misplaced to India 120/3 in 15.5 overs (Abhishek Sharma 35, Shubman Gill 28; Corbin Bosch 1-18, Lungi Ngidi 1-23) by seven wickets.