India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I: India keep series alive with 48-run win over South Africa | Cricket News

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Indian team leadership was under severe pressure to adopt some changes in the third T20I match against South Africa as the home team led 0-2 in a five-match series. However, they did not succumb to the pressure, but instead, they showed confidence in the players’ ability to recover and keep the pulse of the game.
The players reacted well and won a comfortable 48-run at Dr YSR ACA-VDCA Stadium, here on Tuesday night. The return of the open form Ruturaj Gaikwadi and pitchers regaining their catch will give the hosts a good boost as they head to Rajkot in the fourth game.
Transcript | As it happened
South Africa, chasing 180 points to win the series, failed to get off to the desired start when the Indian cranks inflicted early damage. The surface here is known to support the spinner in the second inning and captain Pant brought in the left spinner Axar Patel in the fourth inning. Patel did not disappoint by eliminating South Africa captain Temba Bavuma (8).
Harshal Patel, who was beaten four by Dwaine Pretorius and a Reeza Hendricks number six, had the last laugh as he eliminated Hendricks (23) to leave the visitors 38 for two. Leggie Yuzvendra Chahal then made it 40 for three when he was caught behind by Rassie van der Dussen with 1.

The visitors struggled even further as Chahal let dangerous-looking Pretorius (20; 16b; 2×4, 1×6) get caught behind and sent them wobbling in 57th place for four in the ninth. At the end of the 10th, South Africa was 63 for four.
Harshal then knocked out David Miller (3) – a rare failure in recent times – to put India at the top of the table. South Africa needs 109 out of 9 border crossings. Heinrich Klaasen (29; 24b 3×4, 1×6) and Wayne Parnell tried to go deep but Chahal eliminated the former to celebrate in the 15th round. They finished with 131 as Harshal had four for 25 and Chahal three. for 20.
Before that, the opener Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan gave the side team a dream start as they won 57 in the powerhouse – the best record in the series for India. A Ruturaj under fire, who scored 23 and 1 in the previous matches, fired on all the pots. The Maharashtra hit a 57 with 35 sevens and two sixs and Kishan continued his rich form (76 & 34) as he beat his second half-century (54; 5×4). , 2×6) of the series.

(AP photo)
Although Kishan crossed the line first in the second round, it was Ruturaj who was in charge of the proceedings. Ruturaj chased Anrich Nortje for more than fifth of the round and claimed five consecutive touchlines. Ruturaj reached his first T20I in half a century with 30 balls with six fours and two sixs.
Kishan, who was watching the fun on the other end of the line, joined the party. He beat Tabraiz Shamsi by six and four in the ninth round of the round. Ruturaj greets Keshav Maharaj with an inside-out drive through the covers but the left turner has the last laugh. He let the Indian catch and clear the last ball to get the breakthrough he needed.
Kishan continued the fine work as he knocked Maharaj in two innings six and six in the 12th to burst into his fourth half-century with 31 balls with five fours and two sixs. Shreyas Iyer scored two sixs in his 11-ball 14 before being snatched away from Shamsi by Nortje and Dwayne Pretorius letting Kishan be caught by Reeza Hendricks to lock in India’s money.
With Rishabh Pant (6) and Dinesh Karthik (6) cheap discount, it is to Hardik Pandya (31 not out) to increase the score.