India, led by Rishabh Pant, defeated South Africa in their third T20I match by 48 runs, keeping the 5-match series alive after losing their first two matches. Pant-led Team Indias Ruturaj Gaikwad-led attack found its groove in the 3rd T20I of the five-match series against South Africa, as they managed to bowl out South Africa in the must-win match at Dr Y.S. In the must-win game, India came out on top against South Africa in the third T20I at Visakhapatnam, winning by a decisive 48 runs.
India came into the five-match series riding a 12-match winning streak, but an invigorated South Africa took the wind out of India’s sails in two emphatic victories. After suffering losses in the first two matches of the five-match T20I series, Team India defeated South Africa by 48 runs to stay alive in the series. Defending for 179 runs, India’s bowlers produced a fantastic performance after lukewarm performances in the first two matches. The Indian bowlers kept picking up wickets at regular intervals, eventually bowling South Africa out for 131/10 in 19.1 overs, winning by 48 runs.
Indian bowlers kept India in control throughout the second innings, with Harshal Patel picking up four wickets while Yuzvendra Chahal picked up three. After the openers guided the hosts to a defendable total, it was Harshal Patel leading the bowling attack alongside Yuzvendra Chahal, with India taking the first victory of the series. Harshal Patel played the best spell of the series for the hosts in the T20s. Registering the highest figures of Harshal Patel’s career in the 3rd T20I, pacer Harshal took four wickets and conceded 25 runs, while the India team led by Pant managed to protect their target.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel bagged one wicket as bowlers found their mojo again after faltering in their first two matches. Harshal Patel also contributed a knock as India continued to chip away at South Africa’s wickets at regular intervals. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan added 97 runs for an opening wicket before SA pinned down IND with fast-paced knocks. In the 11th over, Team India got their first knock at 97 as Rituraj Gaikwad was dismissed for 57 runs off 35 balls with the help of five fours and two sixes by Maharaj, at which point South Africa came back into the game.
After the first innings, it looked as though India were short by 30 runs, but their bowlers rose to the challenge and consistently picked up wickets. Despite losing four wickets in the first nine overs, South Africa still had the two dangerous men who had taken India’s fight out of their grasp in the previous two matches, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen.
