IND vs SA 2023, 3rd T20I: Who won yesterday’s India vs South Africa match?
India beat South Africa by 106 runs in yesterday’s T20I match at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. With the thumping triumph, the Men in Blue squared the three-match series 1-1; the first game in Durban being abandoned due to rain.
Sent into bat after losing the toss yet again, India put up 201/7 in their 20 overs. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav led the way with a scintillating 100 off 56 balls. Birthday boy Kuldeep Yadav then claimed 5/17 in 2.5 overs as the Proteas were bundled out for 95 in 13.5 overs.
Earlier, India got off to a confident start with the bat, reaching 29/0 after two overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal clubbed Aiden Markram for two fours and a six in the second over. Shubman Gill (8), however, was trapped lbw on the sweep by Keshav Maharaj. Tilak Varma then fell for a golden duck, giving a simple catch to mid-off.
Jaiswal (60 off 41) and Suryakumar put India in command, adding 112 runs for the third wicket. Both batters were in brilliant big-hitting form as the Men in Blue reached 87/2 at the halfway stage of their innings.
After Jaiswal eased past his half-century, Suryakumar launched into Andile Phehlukwayo in the 13th over, clobbering him for 6,4,6,6, himself racing past the 50-run mark. The superb stand ended when Jaiswal holed out to long-off off Tabraiz Shamsi’s bowling.
Suryakumar then went after debutant Nandre Burger, smashing him for 4,6,4 in the 16th over. Rinku Singh fell for 14 off 10 in the penultimate over, looking for a big hit. The Indian captain then reached his hundred with the first ball of the last over, placing a full ball from Lizaad Williams wide of long-on for two.
With his fourth hundred in the format, Suryakumar joined Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell as the batters with most tons in men’s T20Is. He fell next ball and India lost two more wickets to finish with 201/7.
Kuldeep proves too good for South Africa
Chasing 202, South Africa got off to a poor start as Matthew Breetzke (4) dragged a delivery from Mukesh Kumar onto his stumps. Things just kept getting worse for the Proteas from that point. Reeza Hendricks was run out for 8 by a direct hit from Mohammed Siraj. Heinrich Klaasen (5) was caught trying to go after Arshdeep Singh.
Markram looked good for his 25 off 14 but top-edged one from Ravindra Jadeja that gripped. Kuldeep cleaned up Donovan Ferreira (12) with a good length delivery that turned. He also bowled Maharaj for 1 before claiming three wickets in the 14th over to end South Africa’s innings.
The left-arm wrist-spinner trapped Burger (1) leg before with a googly, while Williams (0) was also adjudged lbw on DRS as he missed his reverse sweep. The game came to an end when David Miller (35 off 25) was bowled as he missed his big sweep.
Who was Player of the Match in yesterday’s India vs South Africa T20I?
Suryakumar played a captain’s knock for India, striking seven fours and eight sixes in his 100. Opener Jaiswal chipped in with a fine 60. With the ball, Kuldeep was brilliant on his birthday, claiming a five-fer.
For South Africa, Maharaj registered figures of 2/26, while Miller contributed 35 in the chase.
India captain Suryakumar was named Player of the Match for his splendid hundred.