In chilly climes and seam-bowling friendly conditions, India registered a comfortable seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the third T20I at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday, and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. After the spinners and seamers combined to bundle out South Africa for 117 in seam-friendly conditions, India chased down 118 with 25 balls to spare.
Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav picked two wickets apiece, while Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube chipped in with a scalp each, as South Africa never recovered from being reduced to 30/4 inside seven overs.
India’s chase was powered by Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 35 off 18 balls in the powerplay. Shubman Gill (28) and Tilak Varma (25 not out) struggled for fluency, while Suryakumar Yadav fell for 12. But Abhishek’s early assault meant the target was always within reach, as Shivam Dube (10 not out) finished the job with some clean hitting.
India’s chase began in explosive fashion as Abhishek took Lungi Ngidi apart in the opening over - pulling for six, glancing for four and lofting over cover for another boundary. The left-hander struck three more boundaries in his 35 off 18 balls before South Africa captain Aiden Markram produced an excellent running catch at long-off to end his stay, though by then India were well ahead of the asking rate.
On the other hand, Gill, after surviving an lbw appeal against Marco Jansen, struck him for boundaries, before taking a brace of fours off Ottniel Baartman. Promoted to number three, Tilak Varma opened his account with a steer to third man off Corbin Bosch and added further boundaries via edges and clips to keep India’s chase firmly on track.
But with seam movement on offer, Gill never looked set and his scratchy stay came to an end in the 12th over when he chopped on to his stumps against a length delivery angled in around fourth stump by Jansen. Suryakumar teed off with back-to-back boundaries off Lungi Ngidi a lofted drive over long-off was followed by pulling a back-of-length delivery over midwicket.
But Ngidi had the last laugh as Suryakumar shaped for his trademark clip over fine leg, but holed out in the deep. Dube applied the finishing touches by lofting over long-on off Baartman for an 80-metre six, before pulling a short ball through midwicket for four to seal a dominant win for India.
Previously, Markram fought hard to hit a fluent 61 off 46 balls, but found little support as only Donovon Ferreira (20) and Anrich Nortje (12) reached double figures. India’s bowling attack remained relentless and made the most of conducive conditions despite the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel.
Having gone for runs in the previous outing, Arshdeep struck early to give India the perfect start. The left-arm pacer found movement to beat the outside edge of Reeza Hendricks twice, before nipping one back to trap the opener lbw, with the DRS also confirming the same.
India struck again when Quinton de Kock missed a full straight delivery from Rana while playing across the line, and was trapped lbw. In his next over, Rana struck again when Dewald Brevis went for a cover drive, but chopped onto his stumps.
Pandya joined the 100-wicket club in T20Is – and the third bowler from India to reach the landmark - as Tristan Stubbs attempted to guide a back-of-length delivery pitched outside off stump towards third man, but only managed to nick behind to wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma.
India’s seamers continued to dominate when Dube got one to cut back in sharply and flattened Bosch’s leg-stump. Amidst the carnage, Markram timed his drives, punches and flicks very well, while Ferreira briefly fought back with a towering no-look six off Kuldeep and a pulled four through midwicket against Dube, though he was also given a reprieve when Arshdeep dropped him at long-on.
But Ferreira’s aggressive approach ended when a googly from Chakaravarthy beat him comprehensively and rattled the stumps. In his next over, Chakaravarthy castled Jansen through the gate with another lethal googly. Markram marched forward to pick a four off Dube, thanks to misfielding in the deep, before slicing, swinging and lofting Rana for a four and two sixes, which also brought up his fifty in 41 balls.
But his innings soon ended in an anticlimactic fashion as he nicked behind off Arshdeep to Jitesh while going for an expansive drive. Birthday boy Kuldeep rounded off the innings by dismissing Nortje and Baartman in the final over to keep South Africa three runs short of 120.
Brief Scores: South Africa 117 all out (Aiden Markram 61, Donovan Ferreira 20; Varun Chakaravarthy 2-11, Kuldeep Yadav 2-12) lost 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