India and South Africa head to Dharamsala for the third T20 International on Sunday with the series level at 1-1 with three to play.
The Proteas won both matches in the two game test series which kicked off this tour, coming out on top by margins of 30 runs and 408 runs. Thereafter a 3 match ODI series went to a decider on and India clinched it, 2-1.
The first of the five T20’s was staged at Cuttack and India came out on top by all of 101 runs, posting 175/6 and bowling the Proteas out for just 74. However it was a different story at Mullanpur on Thursday when the Proteas squared the series with a 51 run victory.
India won the toss and opted to bowl first in the second T20 and Quinton de Kock came out firing, smashing 90 off 46 balls including 7 of his sides 15 maximums as the Proteas posted 213/4. Varun Chakaravarthy with 2/29 was the pick of the Indian bowlers.
Shubman Gill fell to the first ball he faced and the Proteas quicks took regular wickets with the only Indian batsman to really threaten being Tilka Varma who hit 62 off 34 including 5 of his teams 11 sixes. Baartman (4/24) and Jansen 2/25 plus a brace of wickets for Sipamla and Ngidi saw India all out for 162. Quinton de Kock was MoM and next up it’s off to Dharamsala.
This was how the teams lined up last time out.
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy
South Africa: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman
Head to Head
Overall the teams have met 33 times in this format with India winning 19 to South Africa’s 13 with 1 no result
The Betting
At the time of writing India are 0.42/1 to win and South Africa are 1,87/1 with Pokerbet
Prices subject to change
The Verdict
A good comeback from South Africa on Thursday, their bowlers were by and large excellent but I see the batting as the strength.
The venue is at high altitude and whilst some stats reveal some pretty low totals in T20’s I always that with the ball flying through the air.
A couple of early plays for me, the highest Proteas individual score being over 56.5 runs and the visitors to clear the ropes at least 9 times.
Bets: Top SA Individual Score over 56.5 runs at 17/20 with Pokerbet
South Africa Total Sixes over 8.5 at 19/20 with Betway
Prices subject to change