SA v IND: Suryakumar Yadav century, Kuldeep Yadav 5-wicket haul fire India to series-saving win

India continued their habit of winning the bilateral T20I series deciders as they came up with a comprehensive show against South Africa in the 3rd and final T20I at the Wanderers.

In Johannesburg on Thursday, December 12. India leveled the series and snapped an unwanted losing streak in the Rainbow Nation. With the first match of the series finishing without a result due to rain, the two teams won a match each in the hard-fought series.

The 106-run win was also the biggest margin of victory for India over South Africa in T20I cricket. The Proteas, who were undone by the Indian spinners, were bundled out for just 95 in 13.5 overs. India had lost 2 Tests, 3 ODIs and a T20I on the trot in South Africa, a streak that started in the 2021-22 series ended on Thursday under Suryakumar, who is proving his mettle as the captain of the side in the shortest format.

India’s win was set up by captain Suryakumar Yadav, who hit his 4th T20I hundred. Suryakumar was at his imperious best, hitting 8 sixes and 7 boundaries as he helped India post 201 on the board, which in the end proved more than enough. Yashasvi Jaiswal also shone with 60 as he auditioned for the T20 World Cup role wonderfully well, bouncing back from his first-ball duck in the first T20I.

In response, South Africa crumbled under pressure as their batters struggled against the Indian spinners on a pitch that was dry. Kuldeep Yadav shone with a 5-wicket haul on his birthday, while Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with 2 wickets. India bundled South Africa out for just 95.

SPIN TO WIN FOR INDIA
Gautam Gambhir questioned India’s selection calls after Suryakumar Yadav retained the XI despite the loss in the 2nd T20I, arguing that India needed an extra spinner in Ravi Bishnoi on the dry pitch. However, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja got the job done and proved too good for the South African batters in the end.

Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja bowled a total of just 5.5 overs gave away just 42 runs and picked up 7 wickets between them.

Kuldeep also became the second Indian bowler to pick up more than one 5-wicket haul in T20I cricket after Bhuvneshwar Kumar. 5 for 17 by Kuldeep was also the best bowling figure for a bowler on his birthday in the shortest format of the game.

After Mukesh Kumar and Arshdeep Singh got the big wickets at the top and Reeza Henricks, the batting star of the 2nd T20I, was run out, for just 8.

South Africa were reduced to 42 for 3 after the early blows and it only got worse from there as the two Indian spinners ran riot.

Captain Aiden Markram hit 25 off 14 balls and looked to steady the ship along with Donovan Ferreria. However, Ravinra Jadeja got the dangerous Markram out, inducing a false shot with one that spun sharply. Jadeja had his second when he took a simple return catch to send Andile Phehlukwayo back.

Young Tilak Varma was also given an over and he impressed by giving away just 4 runs.

Kuldeep Yadav got the big wickets of Donovan Ferreira and David Miller, who waged a lone battle in the end. Miller was running out of partners at some pace and he eventually was out bowled by Kuldeep in the 14th over of the contest.

Kuldeep’s control and guile stood out as he outshone his wrist-spin counterpart Tabraiz Shamsi, who gave away 38 runs in his 4-over quota.

YASHASVI IMPRESSES
India lost Shubman Gill after a rapid start as the young opener continued his patch run in white-ball cricket. Gill, who was dismissed for a golden duck in the 2nd T20I, was out while attempting to sweep Keshav Maharaj.

India lost Tilak for 0 as Keshav struck in successive deliveries after having been introduced in the 3rd over.

However, Suryakumar Yadav and Yashasvi Jaiswal did not take the foot off the pedal and kept finding boundaries at will. India did not try and do a repair job after two early wickets but kept their charge going, laying down a big marker ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Suryakumar got to his hundred in just 55 balls as he equalled the record for most hundreds in T20 internationals. Yashasvi put his hand up and showed he is ready to take the flight to the West Indies with an impressive 60, days after he was dismissed for a duck.

India and South Africa will meet in a 3-match ODI series from Sunday, December 17. KL Rahul will lead the ODI side in the absence of Rohit Sharma.