India edged South Africa by 11-runs in the third T20I to take an unsurmountable 2-1 series lead in the four match series. The fourth and final T20I will be played at Wanderers on Friday.
Tilak Varma‘s staggering show of an unbeaten 107 runs and Abhishek Sharma’s brisk 50 took India to 219/6 in 20 overs while batting first.
As it Happened:India vs South Africa 3rd T20
In reply, South Africa ran India close to reach 208/7. Marco Jansen’s 17-ball 54 gave India nervous moments during the defence of the total. But he eventually fell in the final over to alleviate any chance of a remarkable turnaround in outcome.
Jansen top-scored for South Africa followed by Heinrich Klaasen’s 22-ball 41. Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks and Ryan Rickelton had also chipped in with 29, 21 and 20 respectively at the top of the order.
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For India, Arshdeep Singh proved decisive to fend off South Africa’s attempts, delivering with the new ball and at the fag end of the match. He finished with figures of 3/37 while Varun Chakravarthy took two wickets for 54 runs.
Earlier, Tilak Varma delivered an outstanding performance, scoring an impressive 107 not out, as India set a formidable total of 219/6. Abhishek Sharma contributed significantly with a brisk 50 after South African captain Aiden Markram opted to bowl first.
The 22-year-old Tilak unleashed a powerful assault on the South African bowlers, striking seven sixes and eight fours off just 57 balls, helping India achieve their second-highest score against the Proteas in this format.
Abhishek, who ended a poor run with the bat, played a vital role with a flamboyant half-century, scoring 50 runs from just 25 balls, which included five sixes and three fours as the two left-handers showcased their batting prowess.
Tilak controlled the game with his wide-ranging strokes and kept India on track despite a few hiccups. He formed a crucial 107-run partnership with Abhishek for the second wicket, building a solid foundation after the early loss of Sanju Samson (0).
Although Keshav Maharaj (2/36) slowed down the scoring during the middle overs, Tilak launched a late assault, scoring 52 runs off just 22 balls in the final six overs, ensuring India capitalized on their strong start.
His explosive batting helped overshadow the struggles of skipper Suryakumar Yadav (1), Hardik Pandya (18), and Rinku Singh (8).
Samson was dismissed for a second consecutive duck in this series after being beaten by low bounce from Marco Jansen, a stark contrast to his hundred in the series opener. However, India rebounded strongly this time, with Tilak and Abhishek taking full advantage of the pitch that offered good bounce and carry.
Abhishek’s quick-fire fifty provided a much-needed boost to the Indian side, as his ability to hit through the line after creating space proved effective. The 24-year-old also ended an eight-match scoring drought with this innings.
