Bowlers Harshal Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal helped India stay alive in the T20 series against South Africa with a crushing 48-run win in the third match on Tuesday.
After the hosts were invited to bat first in Visakhapatnam, openers Ruturaj Gaikwad (57) and Ishan Kishan (54) put on 97 for the first wicket to guide them to 179 for five. Harshal, who returned his best T20i figures of 4-25, and Chahal shared seven wickets to bowl out South Africa for 131, as India bounced back from their opening two losses.
Gaikwad reached his maiden fifty off 30 balls in his sixth T20 for India and Kishan changed gears and took on Keshav Maharaj with two fours and a six to bring up his fifty in 31 balls.
Pandya hit an unbeaten 21-ball 31 to boost the Indian total after Proteas bowlers had attempted to check the scoring at the back end.
In reply, South Africa lost Bavuma for eight and kept losing wickets including Reeza Hendricks, for 23, and Pretorius, for 20, at regular intervals. Chahal got Rassie van der Dussen and Pretorius with his leg spin and soon Harshal sent back the in-form David Miller, for three.
Heinrich Klaasen attempted to turn things around with a few boundaries but his departure off Chahal further dimmed South Africa’s hopes. Harshal returned to wrap up the tail in 19.1 overs.
Here’s a look at the reactions from India’s 48-run win over South Africa in the third T20i:
(With inputs from AFP)
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