A clinical effort from the bowlers helped Team India thrash South Africa by 48 runs in the third T20I at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. With the victory, India cut down South Africa's lead and keep the series alive. The Proteas now lead the five-match T20I series 2-1.
Chasing a modest 180-run target, South Africa got off to a horrid start, losing three wickets in the powerplay for just 38 runs. Unlike the previous two matches, Indian bowlers kept chipping away at the wickets in the middle overs.
Also read: Confirmed: Star Sports wins TV rights, Viacom18 bags digital rights
Yuzvendra Chahal, who went for cleaners in the second T20I, bowled a sensational spell to rock the visitors with a 3-wicket haul which also earned him the Player of the Match award. Harshal Patel also starred with the ball, finishing with figures of 4/25.
Earlier, Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad gave India a superb start. The duo stitched a 97-run opening stand in the first 10 overs. Gaikwad got his mojo back with the bat and blasted 57 runs off 35 balls while his opening partner Kishan smashed 35-ball 54. But that was the only high point in the Indian innings as middle-order batters failed to capitalise on the great start and managed to add only 82 runs in the final 10 overs.