Centurion, Nov 15 (UNI) In a heartwarming moment, debutant Ramandeep Singh received his India cap from all-rounder Hardik Pandya, with mentor VVS Laxman leading the presentation, just before South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl first against India in the third T20 International at SuperSport Park on Wednesday.
The series is tied at 1-1, making this match crucial as both teams aim to gain an upper hand. India began the series with a dominant performance, highlighted by a stunning century from Sanju Samson. However, South Africa bounced back with a low-scoring win in the second match.
Despite the levelled series, India have appeared the stronger side, largely due to the efforts of spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi, who have jointly claimed 12 wickets in two matches. Their stellar bowling nearly defended a target of 124 in the second game before a resilient knock from Tristan Stubbs led South Africa to victory.
With a high-stakes match on the line, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed confidence, praising his team’s consistency while batting first and confirming Ramandeep’s debut in place of Avesh Khan. “The boys have been executing plans clearly, and it’s been rewarding to see them make my job easier,” he said.
South African skipper Aiden Markram acknowledged his team’s need for more patience at the crease and encouraged his batters to spend more time in the middle to support their bowlers, who delivered well in the previous game.
Pitch conditions, assessed by Shaun Pollock and Ashwell Prince, suggest a dry surface with good bounce, likely to aid spinners. SuperSport Park’s small square boundaries (59 and 64 meters) and longer straight boundary (82 meters) promise an exciting challenge for batters and bowlers alike.
After an overnight thunderstorm, Centurion readies itself for an intense showdown as both teams look to claim a vital lead and secure at least a draw in this hard-fought series.
Teams:
India (Playing XI): Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy
South Africa (Playing XI): Ryan Rickelton, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen(w), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Andile Simelane, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Lutho Sipamla
