India pip South Africa in 3rd T20I, take 2-1 lead
India beat South Africa in the 3rd T20I held at SuperSport Park, Centurion to take a 2-1 lead in the 4-match series. India posted 219/6 in 20 overs, riding on Abhishek Sharma's 50 and Tilak Varma's 107*. In response, the Proteas saw Heirich Klaasen (41) and Marco Jansen keep them in the hunt. However, Arshdeep Singh dismissed Klaasen and then Jansen as India prevailed.
Summary of India's innings
India lost Sanju Samson early on before Abhishek and Varma added 107 runs for the 2nd wicket. After Abhishek's dismissal, India lost a few wickets to be reduced to 132/4. Varma and Rinku Singh then added 58 runs with the former doing the heavy lifting. Debutant Ramandeep Singh shone with 15 from six balls as India managed 219/6. Andile Simelane claimed 2/34 for SA.
Abhishek leads India's charge
India responded well following Samson's dismissal. Abhishek and Varma added 70 runs in the powerplay overs (1-6). Abhishek led the charge in the first six overs with 37 runs from 16 balls. Runs followed in the next two overs before Abhishek hit a six and got to his fifty with a single. However, Maharaj got Abhishek, who was stumped out, trying to go berserk.
Abhishek finally gets his touch after 7 innings
Abhishek has managed 7 and 4 respectively in the first two games of this series. However, he responded well, hitting three fours and five sixes and striking at 200. Notably, this is his maiden fifty. He had earlier smacked a ton versus Zimbabwe in July 2024. Since then, he failed to get past 20 in 7 successive innings. He owns 220 runs at 22.
3,000 runs for Abhishek in T20s
During his knock, Abhishek also surpassed 3,000 runs in T20s. He has raced to a tally of 3,025 runs from 116 T20 innings. He registered his 18th fifty. He owns 4 hundreds as well. As per ESPNcricinfo, he averages 29.36 (SR: 156.25).
Varma slams his maiden T20I hundred
Varma held his fort and raced to his ton in the 19th over. He started with a flurry of boundaries before consuming his time when wickets fell before charging again. Varma faced 56 balls, slamming 8 fours and 7 sixes (SR: 191.07). Varma owns 2,735 T20 runs iat 41.43. He has two tons and 16 fifties. 496 of his runs have come for India.
2nd-youngest centurion for India
Varma is India's 12th centurion in T20Is. Varma is now the 2nd-youngest centurion for India at the age of 22 years and 5 days. Yashasvi Jaiswal boasts of the record. His century came when he was aged 21 years and 279 days.
Unique records for India
As per statistician Deepu Narayanan, Ramandeep became the 2nd Indian to hit a six off the first ball faced in T20Is after Suryakumar Yadav. Varma became the fifth centurion for India in 2024 - the joint most by a team in a calendar year in T20s alongside Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2016 and India in 2023. India posted their 8th 200-plus total in 2024.
Sixth duck for Samson in T20Is
Samson is only the second batter from a Full Member side to bag five ducks in a calendar year after Zimbabwe's Regis Chakabva in 2022. Overall, Samson owns six ducks for India from 32 innings (3rd most).
Summary of SA's innings
SA were off to a brisk start before Arshdeep Singh dismissed Ryan Rickelton (20). Varun Chakravarthy then sent back fellow opener Reeza Hendricks (21). Axar Patel trapped Tristan Stubbs LBW as Chakravarthy dismissed Aiden Markram to reduce SA to 84/4. 58 runs were then added by Klaasen and David Miller. Once Klaasen departed, Jansen's charge kept SA in the hunt. However, India won.
Klaasen scores 41 for SA
Klaasen hit 41 runs from 22 balls. He hit four sixes and one four. He has raced to 4,929 runs in the 20-over format at 31.80. Notably, 980 of his runs have come for South Africa at 23.90.
Arshdeep Singh becomes India's highest wicket-taker among pacers in T20Is
Indian pace spearhead Arshdeep has added another feather to his cap. The left-arm seamer is now India's highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers in T20I cricket. Arshdeep, who has been India's mainstay pacer in the format, surpassed Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to attain this feat. He reached this landmark with his second wicket. Arshdeep (91) went past both Bumrah (89) and Bhuvneshwar (90).
Jansen shines, slams Pandya for 26 runs in 19th over
After two singles and a dot from his first 3 balls faced, Jansen smacked a two and two sixes. He hit a four in the 18th over off Arshdeep's bowling. In the 19th over, Jansen dispatched Hardik Pandya for 26 runs. He smashed three fours, two sixes and a two. He brought up a 16-ball fifty with a six thereafter (20th over).
Arshdeep finishes with three wickets
Arshdeep was India's best bowler. He took 3/37 from his 4 overs. Notably, he turned the match in India's favor by getting both Klaasen and Jansen. He owns 92 scalps at an average of 18-plus.
Jansen smashes fastest century versus India (T20Is)
Jansen's 16-ball fifty is now the fastest versus India in T20Is. He broke the record of Australia's Cameron Green (19 balls). Meanwhile, he owns the second-fastest fifty for SA in the format. Quinton de Kock smashed a 15-ball fifty versus West Indies in 2023, Centurion.
