Aiden Markram’s valiant innings helped South Africa avoid a record low score, but India cruised to a seven-wicket victory in the third Twenty20 international at Dharamsala on Sunday. The win gave India a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Sent in to bat, South Africa struggled early, losing three wickets for just seven runs. The team eventually posted 117 all out in 20 overs, with Markram top-scoring with 46 off 46 balls, including two sixes and six fours.
His resistance prevented South Africa from falling short of its series-opening low of 74, the team’s worst T20 total. Markram was dismissed caught behind off pacer Arshdeep Singh, who finished with figures of 2-13 in four overs.
Harshit Rana took 2-34 after replacing Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the match due to personal reasons, while Kuldeep Yadav claimed 2-12 in two overs, including the wicket of Ottneil Baartman on the final ball of South Africa’s innings.
India’s Chase Dominated by Openers
India made the chase look effortless. Openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill raced to 43 without loss in just over three overs, a sharp contrast to South Africa’s early collapse. The pair put on 60 runs before Markram caught Sharma off the bowling of Corbin Bosch.
Gill was later bowled by Marco Jansen for 28. Lungi Ngidi struck to dismiss India captain Suryakumar Yadav for 12, caught by Baartman, but the damage had already been done.
Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 26, and Shivam Dube added 10 not out as India sealed the win in 15.5 overs under the floodlights, wrapping up the series-deciding game comfortably.
Series Context and Upcoming Fixtures
The series has been a rollercoaster so far. South Africa bounced back from a heavy 101-run defeat in the first T20 to win the second by 51 runs, but India has regained control with this third victory. The fourth T20 will take place on Wednesday in Lucknow.
This series serves as preparation for the T20 World Cup in India in February, where the hosts will aim to defend their 2024 title against a South African side they defeated in a thrilling final. In recent months, India also won the ODI series 2-1 after losing the Test series 2-0 to South Africa.