IND vs SA 2022, 3rd T20I: Who won yesterday’s India vs South Africa match?

South Africa beat India by 49 runs in yesterday’s (October 4) T20I match at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. With the impressive triumph, the Proteas avoided a whitewash.

Sent in to bat by India after losing the toss, South Africa put up an imposing total of 227 for three as Rilee Rossouw smashed an unbeaten 100 off 48 balls, while opener Quinton de Kock contributed 68 off 43 balls.

Team India were never in the hunt during the chase as they lost half their side for just 86 runs. Dinesh Karthik top-scored for the hosts with 46 off 21 balls. Deepak Chahar (31 off 17) and Umesh Yadav (20 off 17) brought some respectability to the Indian innings. They were eventually bowled out for 178 in 18.3 overs.

India got off to a poor start in the chase as skipper Rohit Sharma was bowled for a duck, dragging a back-of-length delivery from Kagiso Rabada onto his stumps. Shreyas Iyer also perished for one, trapped lbw by Wayne Parnell.

With KL Rahul and Virat Kohli being rested, Rishabh Pant opened the innings, while Karthik batted at No. 4. The keeper-batters flourished briefly.

Pant went after Lungi Ngidi in the fifth over and clobbered him for two fours and as many sixes. However, the Proteas pacer had the last laugh. Pant was dismissed for 27 off 14 on the last delivery of the over. The left-hander attempted to check his stroke outside off, but only managed to chip a catch to cover-point.

Karthik carried on attacking. In the last over of the powerplay, he scooped and flicked two sixes over fine leg off Parnell. In between, he launched a cover drive for four. Two more sixes followed off Keshav Maharaj in the next over. But he fell to the left-arm spinner in the same over, bowled while attempting a reverse scoop.

India’s hopes suffered a telling blow when Suryakumar Yadav (eight) sliced Dwaine Pretorius to deep point, where Tristan Stubbs took an excellent catch. Harshal Patel (17), Axar Patel (nine) and Ravichandran Ashwin (two) all perished in quick succession as India crumbled to 120 for eight.

Chahar and Yadav added 48 for the ninth wicket to offer some resistance. Pretorius ended the Indian innings and the match by dismissing Chahar and last-man Mohammed Siraj (five).

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Rossouw ton lifts South Africa to 227 for 3

Rilee Rossouw of South Africa celebrates after scoring a hundred. Pic: Getty Images

Rossouw struck a terrific 100 not out in 48 balls as South Africa posted 227 for three after being asked to bat first by India. The left-handed batter, who had been dismissed for ducks in the first two matches of the series, struck seven fours and eight sixes in his brilliant knock.

Rossouw and De Kock (68 off 43) added 90 for the second wicket. David Miller put the finishing touches on the innings, smashing 19* off five balls with the help of three sixes.

De Kock could have been out first ball as Temba Bavuma did not respond to his call for a single. However, he survived as the fielder missed a direct hit from mid-off. De Kock helped himself to some boundaries as he found some early rhythm. However, Bavuma’s horror run continued. He chipped a catch off Umesh Yadav to short midwicket. He made three off eight balls.

Rossouw came in and struck consecutive boundaries and never looked back. The fours and sixes came at will as South Africa reached 96 for one at the halfway stage. De Kock reached his fifty off 33 balls with a six off Yadav over deep midwicket.

The terrific Rossouw-De Kock stand was broken at the start of the 13th over as the latter was run-out looking to steal a second. Shreyas sent in a brilliant throw to catch De Kock short of his crease at the striker’s end. Rossouw did not slow down though. He brought up a quick-fire fifty by slogging Axar over deep midwicket for a maximum.

The left-hander was the dominant partner in a third-wicket stand of 87 with Stubbs (23 off 18). He raced into the 90s with a four and a six off Harshal's bowling in the 18th over. Rossouw brought up a much-deserved hundred with a single off Chahar in the last over. Miller then rubbed salts into India’s wounds, clobbering three consecutive sixes.

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India vs South Africa 2022: Who was Player of the Match in 3rd T20I?

Rossouw scored a sensational hundred for South Africa, thumping the Indian bowlers to all parts of the ground. De Kock chipped in with an impressive fifty. With the ball, Pretorius claimed three scalps, while Maharaj, Parnell and Ngidi picked up two wickets apiece.

For India, Karthik gave the hosts brief hope, slamming 46 in 21 balls. The rest could not make much of a contribution.

Rossouw was the easy choice for Player of the Match for scoring his maiden T20I hundred.