3rd T20I: South Africa thrash India by 49 runs

Indore, October 4, 2022

South Africa produced a dominating performance to thrash India by 49 runs in the final T20I of the three-match series at the Holkar Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.

With wins in the first two T20Is, India won the three-match series 2-1.

A scintillating maiden T20I hundred century from Rilee Rossouw (100 not out off 48) and a fine fifty by Quinton de Kock (68 off 43) powered South Africa to 227/3 in 20 overs, after being invited to bat first.

Apart from Rossouw and De Kock, Tristan Stubbs (23 off 18) and David Miller (19 not out off 5) also played valuable knocks for South Africa, who were also helped by India's sloppy fielding.

Umesh Yadav (1/34) and Deepak Chahar (1/48) were the wicket-takers for India.

Chasing a big total, India scored at a brisk rate for the most part of their innings but kept losing wickets at regular intervals. The likes of Dinesh Karthik (46 off 21), Rishabh Pant (27 off 14) got starts but couldn't convert them into big innings.

Lower down the order, Harshal Patel (17 off 12), Deepak Chahar (31 off 17), Umesh Yadav (20 not out off 17) also made contributions, but they were not enough.

Eventually, India were bowled out for 178 in 18.3 overs, losing by a huge margin of 49 runs.

Dwaine Pretorius (3/26) and Keshav Maharaj (2/34) were the most successful bowlers for Proteas.

Earlier, put in to bat first, De Kock gave Sri Lanka a flying start, smashing India pacers Siraj and Chahar for boundaries and sixes. However, skipper Temba Bavuma was struggling at the other end. Umesh Yadav, introduced into the attack in the fourth over, struck off his first ball to end Bavuma's struggle, leaving South Africa at 30/1 after 4.1 overs.

Rossouw, who came in to bat next, started his innings on a positive note, hitting a four to the leg side boundary off Umesh and followed it up with another four a little finer. He then went over deep midwicket off Ashwin for his first six as South Africa ended the powerplay at 48/1.

Even after the end of powerplay, both South African batters continued their aggressive intent. De Kock reverse-sweeped Ashwin for a six and in the same over, Siraj put down a catch to give Rossouw a reprieve and a six. Soon, De Kock brought up his fifty in 33 balls with a six off Umesh. In the same over, Rossouw went past fine leg for a four as South Africa moved to 96/1 after 10 overs.

Both Rossouw and De Kock were holding the South Africa innings firm and the Indian bowlers had no answers. It was eventually Shreyas Iyer's bullet throw which brought some respite for India, when De Kock attempted a quick second but got run out, making it 120/2 in 12.1 overs.

De Kock's wicket didn't affect South Africa much as a barrage of fours and sixes continued, with Umesh and Axar taken to the cleaners. With a six off Axar, Rossouw brought up a 27-ball fifty and then hit a six off Harshal as South Africa moved to 154/2 after 15 overs.

Young Stubbs was also complementing Rossouw well from the other hand with timely boundaries as South Africa were racing towards a strong finish. Rossouw got to his maiden T20I ton - off 48 deliveries - with a single off Chahar in the first ball of the last over. The pacer then dismissed Stubbs in the next ball, which brought dangerous David Miller to the crease.

Miller then hit three sixes off Chahar as South Africa got 24 off the final over to finish with a mammoth total of 227-3 in 20 overs. Umesh Yadav (1/34) and Deepak Chahar (1/48) were the wicket-takers for India.

Brief scores: South Africa 227-3 in 20 Overs (Rilee Rossouw 100 not out, Quinton de Kock 68; Umesh Yadav 1/34) beat India 178-10 in 18.3 Overs (Dinesh Karthik 46, Deepak Chahar 31; Dwaine Pretorius 3/26, Keshav Maharaj 2/34) by 49 runs

IANS