In the last match of the three-match T20 series, the Indian men’s cricket team defeated South Africa by 106 runs on Thursday at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg thanks to a captain’s knock from Suryakumar Yadav.
Following India’s victory, both teams won a match each, and the T20 series finished in a draw. Before South Africa defeated India by five wickets in a rain-shortened second T20 match, the first T20 washed out.
India scored 201/7 in the third match on Thursday, but Kuldeep Yadav’s career-best 5/17 saw South Africa’s challenge dismissed for just 95 in 13.5 overs.
In recognition of his 56-ball century, Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav was named player of the match. In the T20 Internationals (T20I), Yadav scored eight sixes and seven fours during his fourth century. Along with Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell, the Indian captain’s century also helped him tie the record for the most T20 tonnes in international cricket.
Aiden Markram, the captain of South Africa, put India into the bat first, and Yashasvi Jaiswal got them off to a quick start. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav continued to battle in the middle despite South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj reducing India to 29/2 in the third over with wickets of Shubman Gill (8) and Tilak Varma on back-to-back deliveries.
In ten overs, the third-wicket combination enabled India to reach 87/2. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Suryakumar Yadav, who needed 24 balls to score 26, joined the action, and together they amassed 54 runs in the following four overs. As the tide turned in favour of India, Suryakumar Yadav hit Andile Phehlukwayo for 22 runs (6,4,6,6) in the 13th over.
On the final ball of the 14th over, Yashasvi Jaiswal (60 off 41) was dismissed by Tabraiz Shamsi, ending the 112-run partnership. Suryakumar Yadav did, however, contribute to India’s final over total of 201/7.
Mohammed Siraj, an Indian bowler, delivered a maiden in the opening over to set the tone early. The South African openers attempted to get at Mukesh Kumar at the other end, but in the process, Matthew Breetzke was dismissed.
The run chase got underway with a couple of boundaries from captain Aiden Markram. But in the fourth over, Mohammed Siraj sent Reeza Hendricks back with a direct hit. Due to frequent wicket losses, South Africa never appeared to be at ease when chasing down runs.
In the last over of the powerplay, Arshdeep Singh removed a dangerous Heinrich Klaasen, making it 42/3. The match was won early in the 14th over when leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav ran through the remaining South African batting lineup, taking out the country’s top scorer, David Miller.
The three-match ODI series between the Indian cricket team and South Africa begins on Sunday.
India defeated South Africa 95/10 in 13.5 overs (David Miller 35, Kuldeep Yadav 5/17) by 106 runs, scoring 201/7 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 100, Yashasvi Jaiswal 60, Keshav Maharaj 2/26).