Dharamshala: A near-perfect bowling performance, followed by Abhishek Sharma’s hurricane start, helped Team India overcome South Africa by 7 wickets at Dharamshala and take a 2-1 lead.
Suryakumar Yadav won rare back-to-back tosses and had no hesitation in asking South Africa to bat first.
Player-of-the-Match Arshdeep Singh, as he has done so many times, rocked the opposition with a first-over strike, trapping Reeza Hendricks leg-before wicket off his third delivery.
Harshit Rana made his presence felt too, sending back the dangerous Quinton de Kock in his first over and accounted for Dewald Brevis in his second as the ball moved around off the air and pitch.
At 7/3, South Africa were on the mat, and hardly recovered, despite skipper Aiden Markram’s fine 61. The Proteas were dismissed for 117 in 20 overs as all six bowlers got into the wicket column.
Barun Chakravarthy (2/11) became the second-fastest to 50 T20I wickets, while Hardik Pandya (1/23) completed 100 scalps.
Kuldeep Yadav (2/12), Arshdeep (2/13), Harshit (2/34) and Shivam Dube (1/21) joined in a dream team effort to keep Proteas to a below par total.
Though it wasn’t an easy pitch for batters, swashbuckling left-hander Abhishek (35 off 18 balls, 3×4, 3×6) set the tone for the chase by pulling Lungi Ngidi’s first ball over fine leg for six.
Abhishek had to return to the dressing room courtesy a brilliant running catch by Markram, but India had motored to 60 in 5.2 overs by then – past the halfway mark.
Shubman Gill (28) and Tilak Varma (26 not out) chipped in to complete the chase, but Surya (12) missed out again.
BRIEF SCORES
South Africa 117 in 20 overs (Aiden Markram 61; Varun Chakravarthy 2/11, Kuldeep Yadav 2/12, Arshdeep Singh 2/13, Harshit Rana 2/34).
India 120/3 in 15.5 overs (Abhishek Sharma 35, Tilak Varma 26*).
Result: India win by 7 wickets.
Player of the Match: Arshdeep Singh
Series position: India lead 2-1.
4th T20I: India vs South Africa (Dec 17, Lucknow).
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