3rd T20I: India edge South Africa by 7 runs to clinch series 2-1

Photo: BCCI

India scored 172/7 and then survived a late charge by Jonker (49 off 24) to restrict the hosts to 165/6. 

25 February 2018

00:46 AM

India (172/7) beat South Africa (165/6) by 7 runs in the 3rd T20I to win the series 2-1.

Needing 19 runs of the last over, Bhuvneshwar kept his cool and showed his death-overs experience. Though a boundary of his second over through thirdman did spice things up, but his measured bowling and sharp yorkers made the going much difficult for the hosts. Jonker ran hard and even took a moment to catch his breath but Bhuvneshwar, unlike Bumrah and Shardul had tricks up his sleeve. He kept firing in low full tosses and in the end, even got Jonker on 49 to wrap up a superb SA series for India.     

00:40 AM

4-1-6-2-2-1 Jonker (44* off 20) continues to shock India. 16 runs of Bumrah, who is otherwise difficult to put away in the last overs with his yorkers and change of pace. But Jonker may have saved his best for the last. on strike for the last over, off which SA need 19 to win. 

00:33 AM

6-4-0-4-4 Jonker (33* off 16) wakes up and damages Shardul Thakur's figures that now read 1/35 in four overs. SA 138/5, requiring 35 in 12 balls. Bumrah resumes from the other end. 

00:30 AM

Bowled! Death-over specialist Bumrah cleans up Chris Morris (4) as SA slip closer to the inevitable. 114/5 in 16.3 overs, chasing 173 to win. 

00:27 AM

Another wicket, off another slower ball. Shardul Thakur sends JP Duminy (55 off 41) back as he miscues an attempted big shot that settles in the hands of skipper Rohit Sharma. The writing seems on the wall with the hosts needing 64 off 24 balls to reach the target of 173. 

00:25 AM

JP Duminy brings up his 11th T20I fifty in 38 balls, but it still may not take South Africa home how things look at the moment.

00:19 AM

End of the 15th over, which produced a gigantic six off Duminy's bat, straight past the bowler Bumrah, who still has two more overs up his sleeve. But it remains a tall order with 72 needed off 30 balls. SA 101/3.

00:11 AM

Another wicket falls! Klaasen (7 off 10) found out with no pace off the pitch or from the bowlers. Tries to hit Pandya over Bhuvneshwar at mid-off but couldn't. It stings Bhuvi, who took it above his head. SA 79/3 in 13 overs. Duminy, batting on 39*, is joined by Christiaan Jonker.

00:03 AM

Dropped! Axar Patel comes into the attack and Klaasen (6*) tries to hit him out of the park first park, but hit it straight to Thakur at long-on, who spills it. Next two balls, Duminy (35*) takes Patel apart with two sixes through the on-side. 16 runs off the over. That's what the doctor ordered. 74/2 in 12 overs, chasing 173 to win.

00:02 AM

More than two runs required off every ball for the next nine overs. It's not going to be easy for the South Africans who now rely heavily on Duminy (22* off 25) and Klaasen (3* off 5) to stay the distance. 58/2 in 11 overs, chasing 173 to win.

23:55 PM

Gone! Scoreboard pressure gets to Miller (24), who tries to go big against Raina but could only hit it as far as the safe hands of Axar Patel positioned at deep mid-wicket. SA 45/2 in 9.1 overs. Heinrich Klaasen joins Duminy. Remember, these two got SA home in the last T20I. Can they do it again? 

23:52 PM

Pandya errs for once. Pitches it short and on the leg-stump line. Miller (24*) put it away over deep backward square leg for his second SIX. South Africa need much more of that, from both ends. 45/1 in 9 overs.

23:46 PM

India not giving Duminy and Miller any pace to work with. Knuckleballs are the order of the day as Pandya too begins with a miserly over consisting mostly of the slower ones. SA crawl to 30/1 in 7 overs as the asking rate touches 11. Interestingly, Suresh Raina has been pressed into service. 

23:40 PM

End of the Powerplay, and Indian pacers have kept a tight leash on the South Africans who have scratched their way to 25/1 in 6 overs. Another outstanding over from Shardul Thakur, just three off it. India were 57/1 at the same stage.

23:31 PM

SIX! Miller (9*) steps out to Shardul Thakur, who has replaced Bumrah, and lifts him over the extra cover region for a clean hit that sails into the stands. He has been joined by skipper and last-match hero JP Duminy. 18/1 in 4 overs

23:29 PM

Wicket Alert! Bhuvneshwar's knuckleball gets him and India an early wicket as Reeza Hendricks (7 off 13) miscues and Shikhar Dhawan completes the catch at mid-on. SA 12/1 in 3 overs.

23:24 PM

Bumrah, doing bowling duties from the other end after missing the last T20I, does even better than Bhuvneshwar. Just two runs off his first over. SA 8/0 in 2 overs.

23:20 PM

South Africa surprise India by sending David Miller to open with Reeza Hendricks who welcomes Bhuvneshwar with a cut through point for the first boundary of South Africa's chase. Other than that, a good over by Bhuvi. 5/1 in 1 over, chasing 173 to win.

22:57 PM

India finish at 172/7

Out!!!! Pandya gets a top edge and Klaasen calls it right to pouch it safely off Morris. India six down now but Karthik changed ends. He collects a four of the next ball via a glance to fine-leg. Morris loses his line again and that has hurt SA. Out Again !!!. Karthik walked across to try something cheeky but the quick yorker has found him plumb. Second for Morris.  

22:51 PM

Out!!! Junior Dala picks MS Dhoni. India lose their fifth. Dala take a bow. Though Dhoni got a boundary off a quick yorker with Chinese cut but Dala altered his length by a couple of yards to invite Dhoni to go for the loft. Doesn't quite connect it properly and is taken at long off. Dhoni goes on 12. Four!! Where the hell were you Dinesh Karthik? Slices a cut past point for a boundary on the fourth ball. Another four by Karthik. This is clever batting as Dala called long-off inside the circle and Karthik creams the fuller ball over the fielders head to collect his second boundary. India 162/5 in 19 overs. 

22:49 PM

Pandya hits a six off a fulltoss from Morris. Known for his prowess to operate in the death overs, Morris has been a little off-colour lately. Misses a yorker this time and Pandya sends it over mid-wicket and into the stands. India 147/4 in 18 overs. 

22:41 PM

JP Duminy has really mixed up his bowlers well. He has made sure slower bowlers bowled to hitters. Bowlers too have helped his cause as they have hardly bowled wayward. Perhaps, this performance could certainly stand out as one their best bowling efforts. Shamsi, despite dropping two sitters, made up with his tight spell of 1/31. India 136/4 in 17 overs. 

22:36 PM

Out!!! Dhawan runs himself out. Lazy on the return for the second. Junior Dala throws a screamer from the square-leg boundary to land a direct hit. He has been a thorn in India's flesh. Two wickets and a run out already. What a day he is having. India in a spot of bother. Can MS Dhoni save India once more? India 126/4 in 15.2 overs

22:33 PM

Time for India to switch gears. But SA bowlers have been too smart with their approach. Cutting down pace from their deliveries and making life hell for Pandya and Dhawan. Phehlukwayo seems to have picked the cue as he is ranging between 100-125 kmph. The wicket seems to have no demons. Let's accept, SA have been clinical. Eight runs of the 15th over. India 125/3

22:27 PM

Out!!! Manish Pandey signals India's third wicket. Dala the wicket-taker. He bangs it in and Pandey miscues a half-pull, which Miller pouches safely at long-on. Dala has been SA's break-through man and he dents India at an important juncture in the game. Pandya joins Dhawan. India 117/3 in 14 overs. 

22:23 PM

Dropped!!! Dhawan dropped on 34 again. Same batsman, same fielder. Shamsi the culprit as Phangiso misses on an important scalp. India breathe sigh of relief. India 111/2 in 13 overs. 

22:18 PM

India have gotten meager returns in the last three overs. Phangiso now joins the band of spinners and bowls a fanstastic 4-run over. But Manish Pandey knows he will have to up the ante and decides to go after Shamsi. He picks the chinaman's quicker delivery and deposits it over long-on for a flat six. Nervous Shamsi then bowls couple of half-trackers and Dhawan wastes no time to punish them. Collects two boundaries. Shamsi rues dropping Dhawan. India 102/2 in 12 overs. 

22:14 PM

Out!!! Suresh Raina sweet little cameo of 43 off 26 comes to an end. It was going to be difficult to hit the spinners. Raina lofted a flighted delivery from Shamsi but fails to combine enough power to see it sail over the ropes. Gets caught at long-on. Well bowled Shamsi. India 81/2 in 10 overs. 

22:08 PM

When you talk of fielding, the only sides that come to mind first is South Africa. But their standards have fallen drastically this series. It just takes one boundary to ruin a good over and Behardien is the culprit there. Misfields a Raina back foot punch and concedes a boundary. What could have been a seven run over by Duminy became a run run over instead. India will enjoy that. Buck Up SA. India 75/1 in 9 overs. 

22:05 PM

Tabraiz Shamsi comes in to bowl the eighth over. He is bowling slow, taking a cue from Duminy. Concedes just three. Brilliant bowling despite dropping Dhawan earlier. India 65/1 in 8 overs.

22:02 PM

Little things make huge impact in T20s. Such is the nature of the format. Duminy has intelligently slipped in two overs conceding just 12 runs. The first in the powerplay and then the seventh. The good news is that both Indian batsmen were troubled with spin and Axar Patel could take a lot of heart from the fact and can work his way out during SA chase. Just five runs of it. India 62/1 in 7 overs. 

21:58 PM

A lot has happened in the sixth over. Important news first. Dhawan has been dropped on 9 as Shamsi, arguably the worst of SA fielders grassed him at third man after the left-hander slashed at a wide Morris delivery. However, Raina hopped, skipped and jumped in the four-foot space to collect another boundary.This time shuffling down leg and placing the wide ball through point. India 56/1 in 6 overs.

21:50 PM

Since the time Raina has rejoined the Indian squad, he has shown intent. A lot actually. Phehlukwayo will attest to it as the SA seamer's first two balls were milked for boundaries. Raina stepped out to bunt the first ball over long off and showed his class with a beautiful cover-drive the next ball. India 47/1 in 5 overs

21:48 PM

Dala bowls a tight over. Just five runs off it. He has been hitting right lengths and haven't given room to Shikhar, who seems to be losing patience taking his chances. India 35/1 in 4 overs. 

21:44 PM

JP Duminy takes the ball. Morris rested. Bowls the first one a touch shot and Raina rocks back to bisect the covers for a boundary. The idea is clearly to slow the proceedings and let the Indians use their power to play big shots. Eight runs off it, India 30/1.

21:41 PM

Suresh Raina begins with a bang. Dala bends his back but strays down leg. Ferocious Raina flicks it to perfection for a six. India 22/1 in 2 overs.

21:37 PM

Out!!! Junior Dala does it again. Bowls an in-dipper and traps Rohit Sharma on the third ball of the second over. Rohit consults Shikhar to go for the review but decides against it. India 14/1 in 1.3 overs. 

21:27 PM

We have kicked off. Pacer Chris Morris begins with a big no-ball for South Africa and Rohit Sharma clips it to the fine leg for a couple. However, Morris manages to concede just a single on the free-hit. South Africa have learnt their lessons and aren't getting carried away with the bounce on the Newlands pitch. Morris has pitched up and has kept tight before overpitching the fifth ball. Rohit doesn't miss those and drives straight down for a boundary. Under-Pressure Morris bowls the final delivery outside leg to give Rohit his second boundary on fine-leg. India 13/0 in 1st over. 

21:15 PM

Pitch Report: The Newlands pitch looks quite solid and dry. Probably a reason why JP Duminy opted to bowl for the third time in as many games, expecting it to stay true during the chase. However, there is a thin grass cover too, meaning that Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan might have to apply themselves at the start before taking the attack to the opposition.   

21:07 PM

TEAM NEWS: India have made three changes in the squad for the final T20. Dinesh Karthik gets a game finally in place of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah will strengthen the three-prong seam attack by replacing Jaydev Unadkat while left-arm orthodox spinner Axar Patel has come in place of Yuzvendra Chahal. 

#TeamIndia Playing XI for the decider game. Virat Kohli misses out due to a stiff back. Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah are three changes for #TeamIndia #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/n2X7mSOHLd

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 24, 2018

SA won the toss and have elected to put India in to bat for the #KFCT20 #ProteaFire #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/eHkVJw4Fpa

— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 24, 2018

21:06 PM

TOSS NEWS: SA have won the toss and opted to bowl first. There is a little shock for the Indian fans as regular India skipper Virat Kohli misses out with a stiff back. Rohit Sharma stands in as skipper. 

20:58 PM

Good evening everyone and welcome to the live blog of Zeenews. In half an hour's time, we will be providing regular updates of the 3rd and final T20I between India and South Africa, set to kick off at 9.30 pm IST at Newlands, Cape Town. The series is tied 1-1 and will be eager to wrap up their South African tour on a winning note.