India vs South Africa Match Prediction: Who will win the 3rd T20I match?
It seemed like the India vs South Africa T20I series would be consigned to the back page of major sports media coverage, with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on the horizon. But two enthralling contests have meant that all eyes are on the Men in Blue as they gear up for the remaining two encounters.
The third T20I of the four-match series will be played in Centurion on Wednesday, November 13. It's a clash with a great deal of significance as far as the outcome of the series is concerned, with the teams having registered a win apiece.
The Men in Blue made their intentions clear in the opening encounter, securing a 61-run win that rubbed salt into the wounds of the Proteas following their defeat in the 2024 T20 World Cup final earlier this year. But South Africa played well on either side of Varun Chakaravarthy's five-fer in the second innings of the last T20I to pull level in the series.
Now, a thrilling clash of power-packed batting lineups is on the cards. The average first-innings score at Centurion is just shy of 190, and some high-scoring fixtures have hit screens from the venue recently.
Can India pull ahead in the series? Or will South Africa ensure they can't concede the trophy heading into the last game?
IND vs SA 2024: Centurion conditions in focus ahead of 3rd T20I
The fact that Centurion is a proper batting wicket will likely play into India's hands. They have two quality spinners in the form of Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakaravarthy, and those eight overs through the middle of the South African innings could be the difference between the two sides.
South Africa's bowling, featuring the likes of Nqaba Peter and Andile Simelane, doesn't inspire nearly enough confidence. Gqeberha brought them into the game, but the series opener in Durban exposed the home side's shortcomings in that department.
Both teams are rather thin on batting depth, so it's hard to say where an all-out attacking approach will yield dividends. India and South Africa are also carrying some players who aren't in the best form, meaning they might need to exercise a bit of caution.
Nevertheless, the Men in Blue should be able to get over the line on Wednesday, with the conditions seeming to be in their favor.
Prediction: India to win the 3rd T20I vs South Africa.