Pix : BCCI / X
India held their nerves till the end in a high- scoring thriller to beat South Africa by 11 runs in the Third T20I at Centurion. The men in blue now lead the four-match series 2-1.
Earlier South Africa Skipper Aiden Markram won the toss and opted to bowl first . India got off to a poor start with Sanju Samson out for 0 yet again in second successive match . Fellow opener Abhishek Sharma after series of poor scores finally got some runs under his belt . A morale boosting 25 ball 50 ( 3 fours, 5 sixes). Skipper Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed early for ( 1), Hardik Pandya ( 18), Rinku Singh ( 8), Ramandeep Singh ( 15) . The big innings from the top was missing .
Had not Tilak Varma played a sensational knock an unbeaten 107 . Studded with 8 fours and 7 sixes and that too in just 56 balls, India would have been struggling to put up a decent total. Courtesy Varma’s maiden T20I hundred, India from despair reached a a fighting 219/ 6 in their 20 overs. Something for SKY and bowlers to defend.
South Africa bowling figures read : Marco Jansen 1/ 28 ( 4 overs) , Gerald Coetzee proved costly 0/ 51 ( 3 overs), Lutho Sipamla 0/ 45 ( 4 overs), Andile SimelaneI 2/ 34 ( 3 overs), Aiden Markram 0/ 19 ( 2 overs), Keshav Maharaj 2/ 36 ( 4 overs)
Chasing the imposing Indian total South African batsmen got the starts but could not carry on – Ryan Rickelton ( 20), Reeza Hendricks ( 21), Skipper Aiden Markram ( 29) . The previous match hero Tristan Stubbs out for 12 . The dangerous Heinrich Klaasen ( 41) , David Miller ( 18). The Proteas looked down and out. But Marco Jansen had other plans. The tall fast bowler took the attack to the Indians with a blistering cameo 54 ( 17 balls, 4 fours, 5 sixes ). Jansen tasted India’s nerves and took South Africa close. The Proteas eventually falling short by 11 runs at 208/ 7 in their 20 overs.
Indian bowling figures read : Arshdeep Singh 3/ 37 (4 overs), Hardik Pandya 1/ 50 ( 4 overs), Axar Patel 1/ 29 ( 4 overs), Varun Chakaravarthy 2/ 54 ( 4 overs), Ravi Bishnoi 0/ 33 ( 4 overs)
Match: 3rd T20
Venue: Centurion | Date: Nov 13, 2024
