3rd T20I: India vs South Africa Predictions – will South Africa clinch the series?

The Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket stadium in Visakhapatnam will bring us live action for the third T20I between India and South Africa. 

Team India have not been at their best in the series in terms of their batting, bowling and fielding. Bowling and fielding errors in the first game, coupled with a low-scoring target in the second game, have cost them two defeats out of two.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya were unable to get going in the second T20I. Knocks from Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and Dinesh Karthik, who was brought into the team for the finisher’s role, led India to a score of 148. In response, a brilliant knock of 81 from 46 balls from Heinrich Klassen led South Africa to a four-wicket victory. Rishabh Pant and Co will have to improve their performance in order to bounce back in the next two games, which will lead to a decider in the fifth T20I in Bengaluru. Rahul Dravid may be looking to shuffle the pack and hand chances to Venkatesh Iyer and Umran Malik, who have been on the bench in the first two games. Overall, Team India have to improve and they have to do it beginning from Tuesday if they want to bounce back and clinch the series against South Africa. 

As for the Proteas, they are playing some great all-round cricket and are able to get the performances which are awarding them with crucial wins and momentum ahead of the upcoming T20I World Cup. They have displayed all-round performances in both the games, and Temba Bavuma and his men will be looking to make it three out of three against Team India and clinch the T20I series with two games to spare.

Match details

Match: India vs South Africa, Tuesday, 14 June 2022

Venue: Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam

Time: 7:00 pm (IST)

Where to watch: Star Sports Network | Disney+ Hotstar

Pitch report

As the records stand, the Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium has hosted two T20Is, and both of them have been won by the chasing teams. The pitch offers great aid to the bowlers, so we may not have a high-scoring game on the cards. However, the stadium does possess small boundaries, which may be of support to the batters. Expect the captain winning the toss to have his side bowl first.

Probable playing XIs

India

Venkatesh Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umran Malik

Bench: Deepak Hooda, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh

South Africa

Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klassen, David Miller,  Dwaine Pretorius, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Tabrais Shamsi, Anrich Nortje, Keshav Maharaj

Bench: Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi

Head-to-head

Matches played: 17 | India: 9 | South Africa: 8

Last five matches: India: 1 | South Africa: 4

Batter to watch out for: Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer is improving with every game he plays and does not fail to impress every time he steps onto the pitch. The Kolkata Knight Riders captain has played some consistent knocks in both the games, scoring 36 off 27 runs in the first game and 40 off 35 balls in the second. He will be hoping to display yet another consistent performance and have his eyes set on taking Team India over the finishing line in this game. Be sure to have him in your fantasy team.

Bowler to watch out for: Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshar Kumar is one of the most experienced T20I bowlers in the Indian squad. The pacer has played 60 games so far, picking up 59 wickets. He displayed a marvellous performance in the second T20I, being the pick of the bowlers by picking up four wickets for just 13 runs. Bhuvneshwar did certainly get the better off the South African batters, and Team India will be relying on him once again to display a consistent performance and ease their chances of winning the third T20I.

Fantasy XI

Heinrich Klassen, Shreyas Iyer (vc), Temba Bavuma,  Ishan Kishan, Dwaine Pretorious, Hardik Pandya (c), Wayne Parnell, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Keshav Maharaj

Match prediction

It is a sign of concern for Team India as they are 2-0 down at home against South Africa in the five-game series. They did show great fight and character towards the very end in the second game, but it was not enough. Failure to register a win in the third game will see South Africa clinching the T20I series. India have to be at their very best in the coming three games, and I am backing them to come up with a win in their next game on Tuesday.