Dharamshala: India produced a dominant all-round performance to defeat South Africa by seven wickets in the third T20 International at Dharamshala on Sunday, taking a 2–1 lead in the ongoing five-match series. After suffering a setback in Mullanpur, the defending champions bounced back strongly, chasing down a modest target inside 16 overs to underline their supremacy.
Winning the toss, India captain Suryakumar Yadav opted to bowl first — a decision that proved spot on as the Indian bowling unit delivered a disciplined and clinical performance to bundle South Africa out for 117 runs in 20 overs.
Indian Bowlers Trigger South African Collapse
South Africa never found momentum after losing early wickets. Harshit Rana struck in the opening stages by removing Quinton de Kock for just 1, while Arshdeep Singh dismissed Reeza Hendricks for a three-ball duck in the very first over.
The pressure continued as Hardik Pandya claimed a significant milestone by dismissing Tristan Stubbs (9) for his 100th T20I wicket. Spinner Varun Chakaravarthy played a key role in the middle overs, removing Donovan Ferreira (20) and Marco Jansen, effectively halting any recovery attempt.
Shivam Dube made an immediate impact with the ball, dismissing Corbin Bosch (4) on the first delivery of his spell. In the final over, Kuldeep Yadav wrapped up the innings by taking the last two wickets, including Anrich Nortje (12) and Baartman (1), sealing South Africa’s collapse.
Despite the carnage, South African skipper Aiden Markram fought a lone battle with a composed 61, but received little support from the other end.
Abhishek Sharma Powers Confident Indian Chase
Chasing 118, India got off to a flying start thanks to Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 35 runs off just 18 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes to put the hosts firmly in control early.
Shubman Gill anchored the innings with a steady 28 off 28 deliveries, ensuring there were no hiccups in the chase. After the early momentum, Tilak Varma (25)* and Shivam Dube (10)* calmly guided India home, with Dube hitting the winning boundary as India reached 120/3 in 15.5 overs.
India Eye Series Win in Lucknow
With this emphatic victory, India now hold a crucial advantage heading into the fourth T20I, scheduled to be played at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on December 17. The comprehensive win highlighted India’s depth, balance, and resilience, setting the stage for a potential series-clinching performance in the next match.
