Can India bounce back?
After a disappointing loss in the second T20I, the four-match T20I series between South Africa and India has been thrown wide open as both teams will be looking to take the lead as they head into the third game.
Ahead of the third T20I, here’s our match preview and predictions.
South Africa vs India 3rd T20I | India tour of South Africa 2024 | 20:30 IST, November 12
After a stunning batting performance in the opening game, which saw Sanju Samson score a scintillating century, the talented and powerful Indian lineup collapsed in the second T20I. Samson, like he’s done for the majority of his career, failed to follow up a big score with another one, falling for a duck and the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh all failed to reach double digits. Axar Patel and Tilak Varma were the only two who looked comfortable but fell to a stunning catch and an unfortunate run-out at the bowler’s end respectively. Pandya was the only Indian batter who crossed 30 but his 39* was a struggle as he failed to get going which saw India manage only 124.
Defending a low total, the seamers leaked runs as Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan and Hardik Pandya all were punished but it was Varun Chakravarthy who kept India in the game along with Ravi Bishnoi and Chakravarthy’s five-for bought the game close, although the Proteas pipped India right at the end.
The hosts, South Africa, with the ball was clinical as they regularly chipped in with wickets while tying up the batters. Their fielders backed up the bowlers as they restricted India to a paltry total but the Proteas know that they should’ve done better with the bat, chasing a low total. Tristan Stubbs was their stand-out batter as he anchored the chase and it required Gerald Coetzee’s late fireworks to get themselves out of a sticky situation at 86/7. The South African batters have struggled against the Indian spinners in both games and will be looking to address that with the likes of Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen looking to shoulder more responsibility.
At the high-scoring SuperSport Park in Centurion, expect a lot of runs and the faster bowlers to benefit from a seamer-friendly wicket. Although they went down in the previous game, it wasn’t without a fight and count on Suryakumar Yadav’s boys to bounce back and take the lead of the series.
Fantasy XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Suryakumar Yadav, Heinrich Klaasen, Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakravarthy, Keshav Maharaj, Gerald Coetzee
Venue: Centurion
Winners Prediction: India
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