IND vs SA 2024, 3rd T20I: Who won yesterday’s India vs South Africa match?
India beat South Africa by 11 runs in yesterday's T20I at SuperSport Park, Centurion. With the triumph, the Men in Blue took a crucial 2-1 lead in the four-match series. In a high-scoring clash, India scored 219-6 on the back of Tilak Varma's 107* off 56 balls after being asked to bat first. The Proteas came hard in the chase, but the visitors had just about enough runs to sneak home.
After being sent into bat for the third game in succession, India lost Sanju Samson for a duck for the second game in a row. Like in the previous T20I, he was knocked over by Marco Jansen. Young guns Varma and Abhishek Sharma (50 off 25), however, took the attack to the opposition camp, adding 107 at a rapid pace.
Abhishek overcame a string of low scores to race to a much-needed fifty, with three fours and five sixes. His impressive knock ended when he was stumped off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj's bowling. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav perished for one, caught at the deep point fence off Andile Simelane.
Varma, who was promoted to No. 3, grabbed his opportunity with both hands, playing some stunning strokes. He clobbered eight fours and seven sixes in his entertaining 97-minute stay. Debutant Ramandeep Singh (15 off 6) chipped in with a handy cameo, which included a first-ball six.
India survive Jansen, Klaasen scare to take 2-1 lead
Chasing 220, South Africa got off to a brisk start. However, they kept losing wickets at regular intervals in their endeavor to keep up with the run rate. Ryan Rickelton (20 off 15) was bowled by Arshdeep Singh, while Reeza Hendricks (21 off 13) and Aiden Markram (29 off 18) fell to Varun Chakaravarthy. In between, Axar Patel trapped the dangerous Tristan Stubbs for 12.
Heinrich Klaasen (41 off 22) took on Chakaravarthy and hammered him for three consecutive sixes in the 14th over, which was followed by a dropped catch from Suryakumar. There was some respite for India as a superb leaping catch from Axar ended David Miller's (18) stay at the crease.
Klaasen perished to Arshdeep, failing to time one of his big hits. Marco Jansen (54 off 17) slammed Hardik Pandya for 26 runs in the penultimate over, which featured two sixes and three fours. Arshdeep, however, held his nerve in the last over to ensure victory for India.
Who was the Player of the Match in yesterday’s India vs South Africa 3rd T20I?
Varma played a superb knock for India as his ton laid the platform for the team's huge total. Abhishek also impressed with his rapid fifty. With the ball, Arshdeep shone under pressure, with figures of 3-37. For South Africa, Jansen and Klaasen gave their side hope with some stunning hitting. Varma was the easy choice for Player of the Match for his scintillating ton.