India vs South Africa 3rd T20I 2024 saw the former beating the latter in a thrilling encounter. Buoyed by a maiden T20I hundred from Tilak Varma and 50 from Abhishek Sharma, India went past their highest T20I total on South African shores. India scored 219 for 6 in 20 overs. South Africa, in reply, lost wickets at regular intervals. However, the Centurion cricket ground witnessed blitzkrieg from Henrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen to make the contest a thrilling affair. At the end, India held their nerve to restrict South Africa to 208 for 7 in 20 overs, winning the game by 11 runs. Tilak Varma won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his stupendous 107.
India vs South Africa 3rd T20I Live
South African captain Aiden Markram won the toss and put India into bat at SuperSport Park, Centurion. Ramandeep Singh made his debut as India’s skipper Suryakumar Yadav drafted him in place of Avesh Khan in the playing XI.
India got off to a worst start as Marco Jansen bowled the opener Sanju Samson in the second ball of the first over. Twice in as many games, Sanju was bowled by Jansen. Tilak Varma smacked a boundary on the second ball he faced before he hit a massive six over the third-man fielder. The first over of India vs South Africa 3rd T20I 2024 saw the visitors putting on 12 for 1.
Abhishek Sharma smashed a boundary off Gerald Coetzee in the next over. A couple of balls later, he stepped out to hit a six over the off-side field. Abhishek smashed a boundary the next ball and missed a drive the ball later to take India’s score to 27 for 1 in 2 overs.
Tilak Varma was almost done in by the bouncer off Jansen. However, the ball sailed over the wicketkeeper and hit the fence. Abhishek Sharma pulled a massive six over the deep fine-leg region off Simelane. Then followed an inside-out hit for a six on the off-side field. Tilak Varma hit a boundary down the ground in that over to pile on the agony for the home side. In five overs, India galloped to 60 for 1. Abhishek Sharma smashed a six off Sipamla in the 6th over. The first powerplay of India vs South Africa 3rd T20I saw the Surya-led outfit smacking 70 for 1.
Abhishek, Surya, Hardik Depart in Quick Succession as SA Make a Comeback
The 7th over saw Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma smashing a four and a six, respectively, off Aiden Markram. India scored 15 runs in the next over as Tilak Varma smashed a six off Gerald Coetzee off the last ball. Abhishek Sharma hit a six and took a single the next ball to register his first international half-century. However, he got stumped in that very over. Soon, Suryakumar Yadav, who came in after the fall of Abhishek, was caught in the deep by Marco Jansen off Simelane to leave India at 110 for 3 in 9.4 overs.
Hardik Pandya came set from the dugout as he smashed three fours quickly. Tilak Varma smashed his third international T20I half-century by turning Keshav Maharaj on the leg side. Hardik, however, was trapped leg before wicket off Maharaj as India slumped to 132 for 4 in 12.5 overs.
Tilak Continue to Find Boundaries in India vs South Africa 3rd T20I
Tilak Varma smashed Keshav Maharaj for two fours and a six to take India to 154 for 4 in 15 overs. He welcomed Gerald Coetzee with a massive six down the ground first ball before smacking him in the deep square leg for another humongous six. He hit another four a couple of balls later to take India to 175 for 4 in 16 overs. Simelane bowled a rather tentative Rinku Singh, who didn’t look settled.
Ramandeep Singh hit a six the first ball he faced in international cricket. A couple of balls later, he hit a boundary straight down the ground, demonstrating massive confidence in his first T20I. With that, India crossed 200 against South Africa in the 3rd T20I at Centurion. In that very over, Tilak Varma brought up his century in that over by thumping one over the umpire’s head for a boundary. He hit 8 fours and 6 sixes to reach his maiden T20I century. However, he was in mood to relent as he scooped one over the fine-leg region for a maximum. India galloped to 215 for 5 in 19 overs. Ramandeep sacrificed his wicket as he ran for a non-existent single. India finished with 219 for 6 in 20 overs.
India Strike Twice in the First Powerplay
Reeza Hendricks hit a boundary in the first over to kickstart South Africa’s chase. South Africa scored 7 runs in the first over. Ryan Rickelton also joined in the act by slamming Arshdeep Singh for a four and a six in the third over. However, Arshdeep on the last ball of that over bowled Rickelton out. He scored a brisk 20 off 15 balls. Reeza Hendricks hit three fours in Axar Patel’s first over before Varun Chakaravarthy had him stumped. He scored 21 off 13 balls. Tristan Stubbs came in and struck two back-to-back boundaries to take South Africa to 55 for 2 in 6 overs.
Stubbs, Markram Dismissed in Quick Succession Before Klaasen-Miller Show Dazzle Centurion
Axar Patel soon got rid of Tristan Stubbs as the South African right-hander was trapped leg before wicket while attempting a reverse sweep. The next over saw Varun Chakaravarthy being hit for two sixes by Markram before the South African captain gave a simple catch to Ramandeep Singh at mid-wicket to an absolute long hop from India’s spinner. South Africa were reduced to 84 for 4 in 10 overs. Seeing the humungous target, Henrich Klaasen went offensive by clubbing India’s spinners – Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy – sixes and fours. Varun, in fact, was hit for 23 runs including 3 sixes and 1 four by Klaasen in the 14th over. David Miller hit a six off Hardik Pandya before the India allrounder had him as Axar Patel jumped to take a catch deep on the leg-side. South Africa were at 142 for 5.
Klassen Departs, Marco Jansen Carry on South Africa with Big Hits
Henrich Klaasen soon departed as he miscued a lofted drive off Arshdeep Singh and was taken by Tilak Varma near the fence. It was all gone for South Africa before Marco Jansen went ballistic by clobbering Hardik Pandya for 26 runs in the 19th over. Three fours and two sixes studded that mammoth effort from the tall South African allrounder. The last over saw Marco Jansen smacking Arshdeep for a six to raise his maiden T20I half-century. However, Arshdeep trapped him leg before wicket to wipe out South Africa’s hopes of winning the game. India won the game by 11 runs.
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