JUNE 14, 2022
Brief Scorecard: India 179 for 5 (Gaikwad 57, Kishan 54, Pretorius 2-29) beat South Africa 131 (Klaasen 29, Harshal 4-25, Chahal 3-20) by 48 runs
Indian bowlers finally came to the party as they helped India avert a series defeat at Vizag. For the first time, India’s specialist T20 bowlers Harshal Patel and IPL purple cap holder Yuzvendra Chahal bowled effectively, sharing seven wickets among each other as they restricted South Africa to 131 which meant India now made the scoreline 1-2 with 48-run win.
Indian bowlers were right on the money when they removed Temba Bavuma with the score reading 23. But Dwayne Pretorious (20) and Reeza Hendricks(23) then counter-attacked and the target of 180 was looking gettable at one stage.
Nonetheless, the stand was soon broken and the game turned when David Miller was dismissed with the score now reading 71/5. Meanwhile, revenge seemed sweet for Yuzi Chahal who was taken to the cleaners by Rassie Van der Dussen in Delhi and then by Heinrich Klaasen in Cuttack. The spinner accounted for both of them with some willy leg spin. Meanwhile, Harshal Patel accounted for dangerman Killer Miller and also picked up the wickets of Reeza Hendricks and Kagiso Rabada. By the time the game was over, his figures read 25/4.
Earlier openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan produced scintillating fifties to set the platform before India lost the momentum to stop at 179 for five against South Africa in the must-win third T20I here on Tuesday. Under the scanner for his patchy form of late, Gaiwad finally came good with a sizzling 57 off 35 balls, while Kishan smashed his second fifty of the five-match series. He made a 35-ball 54.
However, South Africa tightened the screws in the second half to keep India inside the 200-mark. The hosts managed just 20 runs while losing two wickets from over 13 to 17 before Hardik Pandya took them close to 180 with some lusty blows in the final stages. It was Gaikwad, who turned aggressor after a watchful start and exploded in the fifth over, slamming five successive boundaries off Anrich Nortje.
Gaikwad completed his fifty in 30 balls and then welcomed Keshav Maharaj with an inside out lift for a four, but the spinner had him caught off his own bowling with India on 97 for one at the halfway stage. Kishan then gave a special treatment to Maharaj, picking up two fours and a six en route a 31-ball fifty, his second of the series.
It could have been five down but David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen dropped two sitters to give a life to Hardik Pandya (29) and Rishabh Pant (6).
Temba Bavuma finally caught one off Pretorius to remove Pant as South Africa slowed things down.
Dinesh Karthik (6) couldn’t force the pace with Rabada removing him, but Pandya managed to find some quick runs.
India vs South Africa Head-to-Head
The two teams have come face to face in 17 matches. Off these, nine matches have gone in favour of India whereas the South African team has emerged victorious on eight occasions.
India vs South Africa Last Match
In their last encounter, South Africa defeated India by four wickets.
Last five results
South African Won by four wickets South Africa won by seven wickets. India won by six wickets. India won by seven wickets. India won by 62 runs.
Courtesy/Source: News18 / ESPNCricinfo
