India vs South Africa 3rd T20I Highlights: The series was squared at 1-1.
India vs South Africa (IND vs SA) 3rd T20I Highlights: A 52-ball 79* from South Africa captain Quinton De Kock helped South Africa draw the series 1-1 against India in Bengaluru on Sunday. Chasing a modest target of 135, the Proteas were always in command with the captain leading from the front. Temba Bavuma also played a useful hand of 27 from 23 as SA reached home with 19 balls to spare.
Earlier, South Africa restricted India to 134/9 in 20 overs. Kagiso Rabada and Beuran Hendricks were the tormentors-in-chief with five wickets between themselves. Earlier, Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first. However, the decision backfired as the Indian middle-order collapsed after a brisk start. 63 runs came off the first seven overs as Dhawan seemed in good touch. But it was at this point onwards that the men in blue lost their way. Apart from Dhawan, none of the batsmen were there long enough to adjust to the conditions and gave their wicket away. Poor shot selection and a tight leash maintained by the South African bowlers also choked the Indian run rate.
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India
134/9 (20.0)South Africa
140/1 (16.5)South Africa beat India by 9 wickets
India vs South Africa 3rd T20I: Team India players during net sessions. PTI
Owing to de Kock's monumental, unbeaten innings of 79, hitting six fours and five sixes, South Africa have won the match by nine wickets chasing down a paltry target of 135. Bavuma ended the match with a massixe six and its elation for the Proteas. They have levelled the series after the first match was washed out, and the second was won by Kohli's India. Absolutely de Kock's night as his captaincy was evident from the Proteas bowling and obviously, his batting.
Conceding just four runs in the last over, India maybe had a bit of a confidence, but that is completely slaughtered by de Kock again. What a player! Another and another six. Krunal Pandya looks just disappointed as he is up against a man who is doing no wrong. 14 runs off the over, and de Kock brings up 1000 runs in his T20I career. He is on 76* from 49 balls. SA are 127/1 after 15 overs. Eight more runs to go.
Temba Bavuma joined in the party with two boundaries, and now it's usual business for de Kock as he hits another six. His fourth of the night, to Hardik Pandya, and he follows it up with a boundary. A captain's knock so far, on 63*, as he has brought South Africa to a point where they need just 28 runs from 42 balls. SA are 109/1 after 13 overs.
A confident boundary off Hardik Pandya's third ball of the innings and a two, and the South Africa captain scores his half-century in 38 balls. He is on 52* and looks like a match-winner here. SA are 86/1 after 11 overs.
THERE'S THE BREAKTHROUGH! Hardik Pandya comes in and off his first ball, he has dismissed Reeza Hendricks on 28. And he has his captain to thank for a stupendous catch. Temba Bavuma is on. SA are 76/1 after 10.1 overs.
After De Kock moved into the 40s with a massive six punishing Washington, South Africa made the required run-rate dip below six per over. Six singles in Krunal Pandya's over keep the opening batsmen on a very healthy ground. SA are 76/0 after 10 overs.
Without any review left, India missed a big chance to get De Kock out after Washington Sundar had got him trapped in. And now with that missed chance, South Africa continue to build their confidence as the opening duo bring up their fifty-run partnership in Krunal Pandya's over. Hendricks got a boundary too. 11 runs off the over. SA are 60/0 after 8 overs.
A review from India, but the ball from Chahar to Hendricks is going way down the leg side. This is not going how Kohli would have wanted and could end quicker than anticipated.
De Kock and Hendricks really got the Proteas off to a flier, and mostly it's the captain. His two sixes rattled Saini, and got him upto 28* off 23 balls. Chahar and Saini are yet to find a breakthrough, as SA end the powerplay on 43/0 after six overs. Nine runs off the last over.
Navdeep Saini under massive pressure here. First is flicked off the length ball after which its the pick up shot which it is the pickup shot which sends him over the fence again. 15 from the over and SA- 35/0 in 5 overs
de Kock doesn't need any second invitation when you bowl it that full. Just uses his fast hands to spank the drive in the gap through extra cover. Jadeja tries his best in the deep but he comes second and he seems to have hurt his finger there? Clearly looks in some sort of discomfort. SA - 14/0
Back with live action. R Hendricks and de Kock are at the crease. R Hendricks is on strike. Washington Sundar will open the attack. QDK is off the mark with a boundary, just like the last game. SA- 6/0 after 1 over
Navdeep Saini steals a bye and IND end their innings at 134/9. What a collapse that was- from 63/1 Team India lost eight wickets for 71 runs. Can they defend their total? Bowlers have a task in hand to defend this modest total.
Washington Sundar is runout for 4 after which Hardik Pandya took strike but he too was snared by Rabada. IND- 133/9 with 1 ball remaining.
Caught&Bowled! Jadeja has to walk back. That went a mile in the air and the batsmen almost completed two runs there. Went for the big hit but a leading edge goes straight up. India are seven down with five balls to play. Can the bowlers defend this?
Hardik Pandya not quite finding his six-hitting range, but a boundary gets India to 127/6 with one over to go. What do you think the final score will be?
SIX!!! What a shot from Ravindra Jadeja and that will surely wake up the crowd up at Chinnaswamy. Clears his front leg to free his arms and the back of a length delivery is deposited straight back past the bowlers head. Rabada is unhappy. IND- 118/6 in 18 overs
A slight edge and Krunal Pandya is back to the pavilion sooner than he arrived. India are six down now as Beuran Hendricks gets his second of the night. The young fast bowler is having quite a night here. He finishes his spell on a good note. Four overs for 14 runs and two important wicekts. IND are 98/6 after 14.3 overs.
Shreyas Iyer is sent back to the stands now as India are found crumbling now. Bjorn Fortuin finishes his over with another wicket and brings India almost to their knees. Both the Pandya brothers are on now. IND are 93/5 after 13 overs.
Rishabh Pant has lost his way yet again. He went for the big shot, but instead went back to the pavilion. He misread Bjorn Fortuin's delivery and he is caught by Phehlukwayo. IND are 90/4 after 12.4 overs.
Dwaine Pretorius comes in, and the India batsmen spend the six balls taking singles, before Pant decides to do the flashy and just sweeps the last ball for a six. While Pant is on 18*, Iyer is on 3*. IND are 87/3 after 12 overs.
Looking to change the flow of the game, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer looked to form a partnership in Shamsi's over. The Proteas are well and truly on the frontfoot now, and the greenhorns took their time to get the runs going on. IND are 76/3 after 10 overs.
Ever since Pant came on, India slowed down and with Kohli looking to change that, his well-time shot just didn't have enough power to cross the boundary and he is caught by Phehlukwayo. Kagiso Rabada with the first of his night. IND are 68/3 after 8.3 overs.
And the blistering Dhawan is made to depart after his shot that went up and up and up landed in safe hands. Tabraiz Shamsi claims Dhawan's wicket, who was proving to be too much for the Proteas. He leaves scoring 36 from 25 balls, hitting four fours and two sixes. IND are 63/2 after 7.2 overs.
Shikhar Dhawan looks to have gained his form back from his India A showings, as he hits the ball out of the park for two consecutive times to Tabraiz Shamsi. Kohli has been quiet so far, but Dhawan is already on 30*. IND are 54/1 after 6 overs.
After two brilliantly hit boundaries by Dhawan, India get back to their usual swing. The wicket-taker comes back and opens with three more wides, taking the extras count to 11 already. IND are 41/1 after 5 overs.
Early break through for SA as Rohit departs. Beuran Hendricks gets Rohit Sharma again! He's now got him thrice in four balls in T20s. The rupturous noise in at M Chinnaswamy stadium means only one thing! Virat Kohli arrives in the middle.
Wd 5Wd Wd 0 1 4 4 0 1 = 17 runs of the over of Kagiso Rabada. 5 wides followed by a couple of boundaries from the bat of Rohit. Rabada is not a happy bowler at the moment. IND are 22/0 after 2 overs.
Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma are at the crease. Dhawan on strike and SA to open with spin as Bjorn Fortuin is set for the start. Change in tactic from the visitors, and it is punished on the first ball itself by Dhawan. The rest of the over is a quiet one as Rohit Sharma escapes a LBW shout. IND are 5/0 after the first over.
Most T20I appearances for India:
98 MS Dhoni/ Rohit Sharma *
78 S Raina
72 V Kohli
58 Yuvraj
55 S Dhawan
Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock(w/c), Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Dwaine Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Bjorn Fortuin, Kagiso Rabada, Beuran Hendricks, Tabraiz Shamsi
Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Shreyas Iyer, Krunal Pandya, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini
Team India win the toss and elect to bat first in Bengaluru. India to play an unchanged XI. South Africa have made one change.
Sunil Gavaskar speaks: "Pitch looks good. But the sheen is missing and there are slight cracks and it has a dryish look. So spinners can come into the picture. Dew is a real factor, I’m told. Win the toss and bowl. Its a chasing ground. And possibly...play an extra seamer in Khaleel. Warm-ups suggesting that it might not happen though.."
Number of matches Rohit Sharma has played in the T20I format thus far. He will become India’s most capped T20I player on Sunday equaling MS Dhoni’s 98 T20I appearances. Only Shoaib Malik (11) and Shahid Afridi (99) played more T20Is than Dhoni and Rohit till date.
Match Time! and it is India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The pitch had received a lot of sunshine a day before the encounter and will play true. However, Bengaluru's weather can be fickle but fans should brace for the few showers coming their way. Stay tuned for more live updates