**South Africa vs India: 3rd T20I – Live Cricket Score and Commentary**
The excitement is palpable as South Africa takes on India in the third and final T20I of the series, with both teams aiming to finish strong after a thrilling and competitive series. The stakes are high, and the energy at the stadium is electric as the crowd awaits what promises to be another memorable encounter between two of the top teams in world cricket.
**Background to the Series**
This T20I series has been a captivating contest, showcasing the strengths and weaknesses of both teams in the shortest format of the game. South Africa, with their explosive batting and dynamic bowling attack, has been in solid form, making them formidable opponents. India, on the other hand, has been undergoing a phase of experimentation and transition, trying out new strategies and combinations with an eye on the upcoming major tournaments like the ICC T20 World Cup.
India won the first match comfortably, while South Africa bounced back in the second game to level the series. With the series on the line, both teams have everything to play for, and this third T20I promises to be a cracker of a match.
**Toss and Team Updates**
The tension builds as the captains walk to the center for the toss. **Rohit Sharma**, the Indian captain, flips the coin against **Temba Bavuma** of South Africa. The coin lands in favor of the Indian captain, who opts to bowl first, citing the dew factor and the trend of chasing being successful on the wicket. With the decision made, both teams start finalizing their lineups.
For India, there is a noticeable change in the squad. Shreyas Iyer returns to the side, replacing the injured Rishabh Pant, while Arshdeep Singh, who impressed in the previous match with his pace and bounce, retains his place in the playing XI. The Indian team will look to use its spin resources in the middle overs, with Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel expected to play a crucial role. Rohit Sharma will be hoping for an early breakthrough and to use his bowlers’ variations effectively on a pitch that could offer some assistance.
South Africa, on the other hand, will be led by Bavuma, who has had a solid series with the bat so far. The Proteas have a well-balanced team, with the explosive duo of **Quinton de Kock** and **David Miller** in the top order and the experienced duo of **Kagiso Rabada** and **Anrich Nortje** in the bowling department. South Africa’s strength lies in their aggressive powerplay batting and their ability to score at a high rate, making them a dangerous opponent in any format of the game.
**The First Innings**
South Africa's openers, **Quinton de Kock** and **Temba Bavuma**, make their way to the middle. The crowd roars with anticipation as the Indian bowlers warm up. Arshdeep Singh starts the proceedings for India, and his first delivery is a perfect yorker, just missing the stumps. He has been in good form and will be a key figure during the powerplay.
**De Kock**, the wicketkeeper-batter known for his attacking style, is quick to get off the mark with a boundary through the offside. Bavuma, a more cautious player, takes his time to settle in. However, the pair is soon put under pressure by the accuracy of Arshdeep and the spin of Axar Patel. India’s strategy seems to be focused on keeping the scoring rate in check during the first six overs.
De Kock, however, has other plans. He launches a blistering pull shot off Arshdeep’s short ball, sending it flying over square leg for a maximum. The boundary has the crowd on their feet, and South Africa is off to a good start. Rohit Sharma calls upon his spin department, and **Yuzvendra Chahal** comes into the attack in the fourth over.
Chahal, with his flighted deliveries and variations, immediately causes problems for the South African batsmen. He gets some turn off the pitch, and Bavuma edges one to the slip cordon, but the catch goes down! The missed chance could prove costly. Bavuma, now on 5, gets another life, and India will be disappointed with that drop.
As the innings progresses, both De Kock and Bavuma look to accelerate. South Africa's powerplay ends with the scoreboard reading 44/1, with De Kock on 30 and Bavuma on 10. The Indian bowlers will now look to tighten the screws and limit the run flow in the middle overs.
The spinners, **Chahal** and **Axar Patel**, are bowling tight lines, and they manage to stem the flow of runs. Chahal strikes in the 9th over, getting Bavuma caught at long-on for 12. It is a big breakthrough for India, and the momentum swings in their favor.
**Mid-innings Analysis**
As the match enters the second half of the innings, South Africa will rely on their power hitters to get them to a competitive total. **David Miller**, one of the best finishers in world cricket, is the next man in. He has the ability to turn the game in a matter of overs, and his calm approach to the game will be crucial. **Rassie van der Dussen**, who is also in the middle, is a solid player in the middle overs but will need to keep the scoreboard ticking.
India, meanwhile, has been impressive in the field. The presence of **Hardik Pandya**, who is an excellent fielder and a handy bowler, adds to the team’s strength. The Indian bowlers are maintaining a good line and length, with **Bhuvneshwar Kumar** coming into the attack after the powerplay and keeping things tight.
Miller starts by dispatching a delivery from Hardik Pandya to the boundary, sending a clear signal that he is ready to accelerate. He and van der Dussen consolidate South Africa’s position, ensuring that the team does not lose too many wickets in the middle overs.
By the 15th over, South Africa has reached 115/3, and Miller is looking ominous on 32*. Van der Dussen, who has been rotating the strike well, is on 28*. The boundaries have slowed down, but the Proteas are still in the game, with plenty of firepower left to explode in the final five overs.
**The Final Overs: South Africa Accelerates**
As the death overs approach, **Kagiso Rabada** and **Anrich Nortje** are ready to provide the fireworks with the bat. Miller takes charge in the 16th over, hitting a massive six off Bhuvneshwar Kumar, sending the ball soaring into the stands. He follows it up with another boundary, and just like that, South Africa moves past the 130-run mark.
India looks to their pace options to finish strong. Arshdeep returns to bowl in the 18th over and delivers a superb yorker to Miller, who just manages to get his bat down in time. However, a slight miscalculation leads to a brilliant run-out, with **Hardik Pandya** executing a sharp throw from deep mid-wicket. Miller departs for 44, a crucial wicket for India as the game starts to turn in their favor.
Despite the wicket, South Africa finishes strongly. **Dwayne Pretorius** contributes with some vital lower-order runs, and the team reaches a total of **158/6** in their 20 overs. It was a challenging innings for the Proteas, with India’s bowlers applying consistent pressure throughout the middle overs and the death overs.
India’s Chase: The Second Innings**
With 159 runs required for victory, India’s top order, featuring the likes of **Rohit Sharma**, **KL Rahul**, and **Suryakumar Yadav**, will need to be at their best. Rohit Sharma and **KL Rahul** walk out to the middle with the target clearly in sight. Both are experienced campaigners in the T20 format, and India will rely on them to get off to a steady start.
The opening bowlers, **Kagiso Rabada** and **Anrich Nortje**, start well, testing the batsmen with their pace and bounce. Rabada’s first over is exceptional, keeping the batsmen quiet and only conceding a couple of singles. Rohit looks solid, but KL Rahul has struggled to get going early on.
Rohit gets off the mark with a boundary in the third over, cracking a short delivery from Rabada past square leg. Rahul, meanwhile, is content to play the waiting game, slowly getting into his groove. The Indian openers have taken the score to 34/0 by the end of the powerplay, with both players looking relatively comfortable, although the required run rate is creeping upwards.
**The Middle Overs: India’s Response**
As South Africa turns to spin in the middle overs, **Tabraiz Shamsi** and **Keshav Maharaj** come into the attack. The left-arm spin duo is capable of causing problems, especially with the wicket showing signs of grip and turn.
Shamsi is the first to strike, dismissing Rohit Sharma for 18 in the 9th over. Rohit tries to sweep but ends up top-edging a delivery to short fine leg, and Shamsi takes a simple catch. India now finds themselves at 48/1, and South Africa will sense an opening.
Suryakumar Yadav, known for his flair in T20 cricket, walks to the crease. His presence immediately lifts the Indian spirits as he plays a couple of exquisite drives off Shamsi, finding the gaps with ease. He is quickly up to speed, and his aggressive stroke play brings the required rate
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