South Africa vs India 3rd T20I: Preview and Predictions

After a disappointing loss for India in the second T20I, the four-match series has been blown wide open as the two teams now look to take the lead of the series in the third game. Ahead of the third T20I between South Africa and India, here are our match preview and predictions. 

Also read: Cricket South Africa Sponsors 2024 | Indian national cricket team sponsors 2024

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 batting line-up collapsed in the second T20I. Samson, like he has done for the majority of his career, failed to follow up a big score with another one and fell for a duck, while the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and 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 the 30-run mark, but his was a struggling innings as he failed to get going as India managed only 124. 

Defending a low total, the Indian seamers leaked runs as Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, and Pandya were punished, though Varun Chakravarthy kept India in the game. Along with Ravi Bishnoi, Chakravarthy’s five-for bought the game close, although the Proteas pipped India right at the end.

The hosts, on the other hand, were clinical with the ball and regularly chipped in with wickets while tying up the Indian batters. Their fielders backed up the bowlers as they restricted India to a paltry total, though the Proteas will know they should’ve done better with the bat. Tristan Stubbs was their stand-out batter as he anchored the chase, which required Gerald Coetzee’s late fireworks to get themselves out of a sticky situation after finding themselves at 86/7.

The South African batters have struggled against the Indian spinners in the first two games. They will look to address that coming into the third game, with the likes of Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, David Miller, and Heinrich Klaasen needing 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, so 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