India vs South Africa: South Africa defeats India by 49 runs in the 3rd T20I. This is India’s largest defeat by margin of runs at the home soil. Rilee Rossouw was the architect of the win for the visitors, as he hit his maiden century off just 48 balls to set up South Africa’s highest ever T20I total against India.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma chose to bowl first after winning the toss. Off the first ball, Quinton De Kock would have been out. He was well beyond the crease when he played the ball to mid-off and sprinted off for a single, but Shreyas Iyer missed a direct hit.

Also read: Dinesh Karthik promoted ahead of Suryakumar Yadav, hits a 21-ball 46: Watch

Temba Bavuma, the Proteas captain, also scored his first runs of the series during the game, but Umesh Yadav quickly shortened his stay. Rilee Rossouw then took centre stage right away, scoring his first two boundaries of the game and the series, off Yadav in the same over. Rossouw smashed one more six in the following two overs to help South Africa conclude the powerplay strongly at 48/1.

The Holkar Cricket Stadium’s extremely small boundaries, and India’s subpar fielding all benefited South African batters. Rossouw got a lifeline when Mohammad Siraj dropped his catch off Ravichandran Ashwin’s bowling when he was just at 24 runs. He followed that with a six and a four, which helped South Africa reach 132/2. After striking a six off Axar Patel, he took just 27 balls to reach his half-century.

Also read: 3rd T20I: Virat Kohli, KL Rahul rested against South Africa

Rossouw, after reaching his half-century, started playing his shots more aggressively. He would have been out-hit wicket off Siraj, had he not bowled a no ball the previous delivery. He then struck three additional sixes and the same number of fours to complete his first century in 48 balls. David Miller hit Deepak Chahar for three sixes to help the Proteas score 227/3.

India started poorly as they lost two wickets in the first two overs alone. Following a magnificent inswinger from Kagiso Rabada, the skipper Rohit Sharma was dismissed after the second ball. In the second over, it was Shreyas Iyer who lost his wicket, as he wasn’t able to anticipate the bounce of Wayne Parnell’s delivery.

Also read: 3rd T20I: Kohli, KL Rahul rested as India look to whitewash South Africa

Dinesh Karthik’s promotion to No.4 first appeared to be a success since the wicketkeeper-batsman struck two sixes and a four against Parnell, helping India score 39 runs in the final two powerplay overs. India finished with 64 runs after the powerplay, 16 runs more than their rivals, thanks to the steady flow of boundaries by Karthik and Rishabh Pant.

Karthik smacked South African spinner, Keshav Maharaj, for two successive sixes in the following over. Maharaj, on the other hand, had the final laugh when Karthik lost his wicket while attempting a reverse scoop and failed.

Suryakumar Yadav, the No. 2 hitter in the world, then took the field. He was immediately sent back by Dwaine Pretorius shortly after hitting a six, and Stubbs made an outstanding diving catch while approaching from deep extra cover.

Also read: Jasprit Bumrah opens up on injury, T20 World Cup miss

Following that, the South African bowling attack began steadily chipping away at wickets. After hitting two fours and a six, Harshal Patel found David Miller at long-off and off Lungi Ngidi. Axar Patel got dismissed for nine runs off of eight.

Deepak Chahar, however, impressed with the bat hitting 31 runs off just 17 balls. His three sixes and two fours will force selectors to will replace the injured Jasprit Bumrah for the T20 World Cup. 

India and South Africa will meet next for the first ODI of the three-match series at the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Madhya Pradesh, on Thursday, October 6.