Clinical India beat SA by seven wickets in 3rd T20I to take series lead

DHARAMSHALA(Himachal Pradesh):A clinical display by India, with standout performances from Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh, powered the hosts to an seven-wicket win against South Africa at Dharamshala on Sunday.

India has taken a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. After bundling out Proteas for 117 in 20 overs, India made an easy work of the chase, chasing 118 down in 15.5 overs with seven wickets in hand.

During the run-chase of 118 runs, India was off to a fine start, with Abhishek Sharma launching Lungi Ngidi for a six over fine leg on the first ball of the innings and collecting 16 runs in the first over, courtesy of four leg-byes and another boundary.

Vice-captain Shubhman Gill survived a DRS review at the start of second over and Gill creamed Marco Jansen through mid-off for a four on the next ball. Abhishek ended the over with a four over fine leg and loft for six over deep cover region.

In the next over by Ottneil Baartman, Gill collected two fours, with one being a delightful punch through cover-point region.

Abhishek started the fifth over by Baartman with a six and four, with India touching the 50-run mark in 4.1 overs.

It was Corbin Bosch who ended the 60-run partnership between the duo, with skipper Aiden Markram taking a fine running catch to remove

Abhishek for an 18-ball 35, with three fours and three sixes. India was 60/1 in 5.2 overs.

Tilak Varma made his attacking intention clear straight away with two fours against Bosch in his first two balls, and the duo took the chase forward.
The chase went just fine, till Jansen cleaned up Gill for a 28-ball 28 (with five fours). India was 92/2 in 11.4 overs.

India reached the 100-run mark in 13.5 overs.

Suryakumar was dismissed for 12 (two fours) by Ngidi. India was 109/3 in 14.4 overs.

Shivam Dube ended India’s chase easily with a six and four, with India ending at 120/3 in 15.5 overs, with Tilak Varma (25 in 34 balls, with three fours) and Shivam Dube (10* in four balls) unbeaten.

Earlier, after India won the toss and opted to field first, Arshdeep Singh started off the innings on a fine note as he trapped Reeza Hendricks for a three-ball duck, with SA at 1/1 in 0.4 overs.

Harshit Rana’s next over was as lethal as Arshdeep’s as he took the wicket of Quinton de Kock on the second ball for a three-ball one. SA was reduced to 1/2 in 1.2 overs.

In the third over, skipper Aiden Markram struck Arshdeep for the first boundary of the innings, a fine drill through mid-off. But troubles would not just end for South Africa as Rana cleaned up Dewald Brevis to start off the third over, for a seven-ball two. SA was 7/3 in 3.1 overs, in deep and troubled waters.

In the final over of the powerplay, Markram eased off some pressure with two boundaries against Harshit, with one being a punch through long-off, followed by a flick through mid-wicket a few minutes later. At the end of six overs, SA was 25/3, with Markram (17*) and Stubbs (5*) unbeaten.

In the seventh over, Hardik Pandya was introduced to the attack, and he soon became the third Indian with 100 T20I wickets, joining Arshdeep and Jasprit Bumrah as he got Stubbs caught behind by Jitesh Sharma for a 13-ball nine on the final ball of his over, reducing SA to 30/4 in seven overs.

Spinner Varun Chakravarthy’s spin magic further squeezed Proteas, as they ended the first 10 overs at 44/4, with Markram (28*) and Corbin Bosch (4*) unbeaten. Shivam did not let Bosch add anything to his tally, dismissing him to start the second half of the innings, reducing SA to 44/5 in 10.1 overs.

SA huffed and puffed their way to the 50-run mark in 11.2 overs.

Markram and Donovan Ferreira launched a counter-attack against Indian bowlers with some quick runs, fours and sixes, but Varun made a mess of Donovan’s stumps to reduce SA to 69/6 in 13.3 overs. He was gone for a 15-ball 20, with a four and six. The spinner also reached the 50 T20I wickets mark.

In the 16th over, Chakravarthy also cleaned up Marco Jansen for a seven-ball two, with SA at 77/7 in 15.1 overs.

In the 18th over, Markram eased off some pressure, launching Harshit for two sixes and a four, reaching his half-century in 41 balls, with six fours and a six. The over cost India 19 runs as SA reached the 100-run mark in 17.2 overs.

Kuldeep Yadav ended the partnership, removing Anrich Nortje for 12-ball 12. India was 115/9 in 19.3 overs. He also got Ottneil Baartman on the final ball, with SA all out for 117 in 20 overs and their captain Markram (61* in 46 balls, with six fours and two sixes) being a lone warrior.

Harshit, Arshdeep, Varun and Kuldeep got two wickets each, while Hardik and Dube got a wicket each.

Brief Scores: SA: 117/10 (Aiden Markram 61*, Donovan Ferreira 20, Arshdeep Singh 2/13) vs India: 120/3 in 15.5 overs (Abhishek Sharma 35, Shubman Gill 28, Corbin Bosch 3/18). (ANI)