Sun Dec 14 13:30:00 UTC 2025: India vs. South Africa: India to Chase 118 After Dominant Bowling Display in 3rd T20I
** धर्मशाला, India –** India is set to chase a modest target of 118 runs after a dominant bowling performance against South Africa in the third T20I of the five-match series at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala. India won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that paid dividends as they bundled out South Africa for just 117 in their allotted 20 overs.
South African Innings Falters
The South African innings never gained momentum, with wickets falling at regular intervals. Reeza Hendricks was dismissed for a duck by Arshdeep Singh, and Quinton de Kock followed soon after, managing only one run before being bowled by Harshit Rana. Dewald Brevis (2) and Tristan Stubbs (9) failed to make significant contributions, further denting South Africa’s hopes.
Aiden Markram, the South African captain, was the lone warrior, scoring a resilient half-century. He reached his fifty off 41 balls and eventually fell for 61, caught behind off Arshdeep Singh. Donovan Ferreira contributed 20 off 15 balls, but received little support from the rest of the batting lineup.
Indian Bowlers Shine
The Indian bowlers put on a superb display, with Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana each taking two wickets. Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube chipped in with one wicket apiece, completing the demolition of the South African batting order.
Team Changes
India made two changes to their playing XI, with Kuldeep Yadav and Harshit Rana replacing Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah. South Africa made three changes, bringing in Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, and Tristan Stubbs in place of David Miller, George Linde, and N. Sipamla.
Key Moments
- Hardik Pandya completed 100 T20I wickets.
- Aiden Markram scored his first half-century in the series after a century in the previous match.
Path to Victory
With a relatively low target to chase, India will be looking to capitalize on their strong bowling performance and secure a comfortable victory to either extend or close the gap in the series. The match is live on Star Sports Network and Jio Hotstar.
Playing XI:
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.
South Africa: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Ottniel Baartman.
First Piper 