The home side made light work of its run chase in reply to South Africa’s 117, a total stiffened only by their captain’s gutsy innings
Not even a defiant captain’s knock from South Africa skipper Aiden Markram could stop the Proteas being hammered by seven wickets in a lopsided third Twenty20 international in Dharamsala.
Put in to bat on Sunday, South Africa rallied from 3-7 to 117 all out in 20 overs, making it an easy night’s work for India as they reached their target on 3-120 in with 4.1 overs to spare under the floodlights to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
South Africa had looked in danger of scoring fewer runs than in their series-opening innings of 74, the team’s worst total in T20 cricket, before Markram’s defiant knock.
The South Africa captain hit two sixes and six fours in his 46-ball knock of 61 before he was caught behind off pacer Arshdeep Singh (2-13 in four overs).
India then made light work of the chase. Openers Abhishek Sharma (35 off 18 balls) and Shubman Gill took the hosts to 0-43 after just 3.1 overs, the same stage at which South Africa were 3-7.
Sharma and Gill shared an opening stand of 60, which was ended by Markram running to catch Sharma off the bowling of Corbin Bosch. Gill was bowled by Marco Jansen for a run-a-ball 28.
South Africa quick Lungi Ngidi (1-23) dismissed India captain Suryakumar Yadav, caught by Ottneil Baartman for 12.
Tilak Varma (26no) and Shivam Dube (10no) eventually took India home in the latest twist in an unpredictable series, with South Africa having won the second T20 by 51 runs after losing the first by 101 runs.
The fourth T20 is on Wednesday at Lucknow in a series which is in preparation for the T20 World Cup in India in February.
India are the defending champions after beating South Africa in a gripping end to the final in 2024.
