What happened the last time India played a men's T20I in Johannesburg before SA vs IND 2024?
India and South Africa will face off in the fourth and final T20I at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. The Men in Blue are currently leading the series 2-1, and a victory in the upcoming match will help them secure the series. The Proteas, meanwhile, will look to level the series 2-2 and end on a high note.
South Africa and India last faced each other in Johannesburg in December 2023, when India toured the nation for a multi-format series that included two Tests, three ODIs and as many T20Is. While the first T20I of the series was abandoned, the hosts clinched a win in the next to take a 1-0 lead.
To save themselves from a series loss, India had no other option but to win the final game. And that was exactly what they did, even without the services of senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah.
Suryakumar Yadav, captaining a new-look T20I side, led from the front and notched up a brilliant century after India were put to bat first. His knock did not go in vain as India bagged a humungous win to share the trophy with the Aiden Markram-led side.
Suryakumar Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav spearhead India’s victory
Yashasvi Jaiswal handled the innings well after losing Shubman Gill (8) and Tilak Varma (0) on the other side. The two top-order batters were dismissed on back-to-back deliveries in the third over, courtesy of Keshav Maharaj.
But what followed next was sheer dominance by Team India as Jaiswal and Suryakumar joined hands to build a massive 112-run partnership for the third wicket. Even after the former’s dismissal, the Indian T20I skipper kept finding the gaps regularly to keep India’s scoreboard ticking.
In the process, he also scored a ton and walked off with a score of 100(56). The Men in Blue eventually registered 201/7, thereby setting a daunting target for the hosts to chase.
Defending the high total, Mukesh Kumar got the innings going as he dismissed Matthew Breetzke in just the second over. Reeza Hendricks followed him soon after as Mohammed Siraj instated a brilliant run-out. Arshdeep Singh and Ravindra Jadeja soon joined the party as they sent Heinrich Klaasen and Markram packing.
While a majority of the top and middle-order batters were back in the dugout, Kuldeep Yadav took care of the lower-middle and lower-order. After dismissing Donovan Ferreira in the 10th over, Kuldeep added three more wickets in his kitty to take his tally to four.
He closed the deal with the final wicket of the dangerous David Miller and completed a five-wicket haul as India dished out the hosts for a mere 95 runs in 13.5 overs to win the game by a margin of 106 runs.