Arshdeep, Tilak shine as India seal 11-run win over South Africa in 3rd T20I, take 2-1 lead in series

Arshdeep Singh's three-wicket haul and Tilak Varma's unbeaten century helped India clinch an 11-run victory over South Africa in the third T20I match in Centurion on Wednesday. With a thrilling victory in Centurion, the Men in Blue took a 2-1 lead in the four-match T20I series. South Africa had a steady start in the game as Ryan Rickelton (20 runs from 15 balls, 2 fours and 1 six) and Reeza Hendricks (21 runs from 13 balls, 4 fours) played a 27-run partnership.

It was India seamer Arshdeep Singh who made the first breakthrough in the inning, removing Rickelton from the crease. Skipper Aiden Markram (29 runs from 18 balls, 2 sixes) tried to play attacking cricket and add some crucial runs on the board but Varun Chakaravarthy dismissed him in the 10th over. When the hosts struggled to score runs, it was Heinrich Klaasen (41 runs from 22 balls, 1 four and 4 sixes) who became a ray of hope for the Proteas as he played a fiery knock. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 23 runs in the 14th over, he smashed three sixes and a four in a single over.

Arshdeep Singh came in front again as he picked up a crucial wicket to remove the dangerous Klaasen from the crease. Following the dismissal of Klaasen, Marco Jansen (54 runs from 17 balls, 4 fours and 5 sixes) played a blitz knock and pulled the Proteas back in the game. However, Arshdeep delivered once again as he dismissed Janseen and put the Men in Blue back in the game.

South Africa showed a great fight in the death overs but with the help of Arshdeep, it was India who smiled in the end. Gerald Coetzee (2*) and Andile Simelane (5*) stayed unbeaten on the crease in the end as South Africa finished their inning at 208/7. Arshdeep did the job both with the new ball and in the death overs as he picked up three crucial wickets and gave 37 runs in his four-over spell. Varun Chakaravarthy bagged two wickets in his four-over spell.

After winning the toss, the Proteas sent India to bat, however, Aiden Markram's decision did not go in their favour as they failed to break partnerships. South Africa had an amazing start in the game when seamer Marco Jansen removed India opener Sanju Samson in the second ball of the match in Centurion. Following the first dismissal, Abhishek Sharma (50 runs from 25 balls, 3 fours and 5 sixes) and Tilak Varma (107 runs from 49 balls, 8 fours and 7 sixes) cemented a 107-run partnership which helped the Men in Blue add some crucial runs on the board.

In the ninth over, Abhishek slammed fifty from 24 balls, however, in the next ball, Keshav Maharaj removed the Indian batter from the crease. The third wicket of the inning came in the 10th over when Andile Simelane dismissed Suryakumar Yadav for just one run from four balls. Suryakumar failed to display a captain's knock in the first inning.

Top India all-rounder Hardik Pandya (18 runs from 16 balls, 3 fours) failed to display a staggering performance. Hardik was removed by Maharaj in the 13th over. After four dismissals, Tilak and Rinku Singh played a 58-run partnership and cruised India to a decent total in the game. Rinku's knock had to come to an end in the 18th over when Simelane removed him for eight runs from 13 balls.

Ramandeep Singh (15 runs from 6 balls, 1 four and 1 six) replaced Rinku on the crease and partnered with Tilak for a partnership of 28 runs. Ramandeep-Tilak helped India to cross the 200-run partnership. In the second last ball of the inning, Ramandeep had to leave the crease after a disappointing run-out. India ended the first inning at 219/6 with Tilak Varma (107*) and Axar Patel (1*) unbeaten on the crease.

Andile Simelane and Keshav Maharaj led the Proteas bowling attack as they bagged two wickets each in their respective spell. Brief score: India 219/6 (Tilak Varma 107*, Abhishek Sharma 50; Andile Simelane 2/34) beat South Africa 208/7 (Heinrich Klaasen 41, Marco Jansen 54; Arshdeep Singh 3/37). (ANI)