A clinical bowling performance in the chilly Dharamsala air has left South Africa in tatters, setting India up for a straightforward chase to clinch their T20I series. After leveling the series in New Chandigarh, the Proteas collapsed to 81 for 7, with only captain Aiden Markram offering any prolonged resistance on a pitch that offered the bowlers plenty.
The Indian seamers, led by Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, ripped through the top order inside the powerplay. The spinners then tightened the noose, with Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav sharing four wickets between them to extinguish any hope of a South African recovery.
Toss and Team Changes Set the Stage
India won a crucial toss and, observing the dewy conditions, elected to field first. Their lineup saw two forced changes: Jasprit Bumrah was absent for personal reasons, while Axar Patel was unwell. This opened the door for Harshit Rana and allowed India to field a dual wrist-spin attack of Kuldeep and Varun.
South Africa, true to their habit this series, rotated their squad again. They brought in Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch, and Anrich Nortje, replacing David Miller, Lutho Sipamla, and George Linde. This left their bowling light on spin, with only Markram and Donovan Ferreira available for part-time duties.
Early Wickets Rock South Africa’s Powerplay
The Indian seamers needed no second invitation. Arshdeep Singh, whose powerplay prowess is well-documented, set the tone in the very first over. After beating Reeza Hendricks twice outside off, he nipped one back in to trap the opener plumb in front. South Africa was 1 for 1.
The slide continued dramatically. Harshit Rana, in for Bumrah, struck in his first over. Quinton de Kock played all around a straight, full delivery to be bowled for just 1. Two balls later, Dewald Brevis dragged a wide half-volley onto his stumps in an ungainly fashion. At 7 for 3 in the 4th over, the visitors were in deep trouble.
Key Powerplay Wickets:
- 0.4 Overs: Reeza Hendricks lbw b Arshdeep Singh (1)
- 1.2 Overs: Quinton de Kock b Harshit Rana (1)
- 3.1 Overs: Dewald Brevis b Harshit Rana (3)
Markram’s Lone Hand and the Middle-Over Squeeze
While wickets tumbled at one end, captain Aiden Markram held firm. He played with positive intent, being the only batter to find the boundary with any regularity. For over 11 overs, he was the sole source of boundaries for South Africa, a statistic that highlighted his team’s struggles.
India introduced Hardik Pandya before the spinners, capitalizing on the residual seam movement. The move paid off instantly, as Pandya got Tristan Stubbs to edge behind with a ball that nipped away. The wicket was Pandya’s 100th in T20Is, making him only the fourth player ever to achieve the double of 100 wickets and 100 sixes in the format.
The spin twins then took center stage. Kuldeep Yadav created a chance that was dropped, but Varun Chakravarthy was relentless. He cleaned up the dangerous-looking Donovan Ferreira with a wrong’un and later bowled Marco Jansen with another to leave the Proteas innings in ruins at 77 for 7.
What’s Next: A Simple Chase for India
With a paltry target of 82, India’s batters will back themselves to wrap up the series 2-1. The pressure is completely on the South African bowlers, who must now produce a miraculous defense.
For South Africa, the collapse raises familiar questions about the consistency of their batting lineup outside of home conditions. Their aggressive selection policy, making three changes for this decider, has not yielded the desired result, leaving Aiden Markram with a mountain of work to salvage pride in the remaining overs.
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