India vs South Africa Highlights, 3rd T20I: India beat South Africa by 11 runs, take unassailable 2-1 lead in four-match series

India held their nerve to secure a tight 11-run victory over South Africa in a high-scoring thriller in Centurion. Arshdeep Singh was the standout Indian bowler, claiming the crucial wickets of Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen. After Klaasen's dismissal in the 18th over, Jansen took charge, smashing 26 runs off Pandya's penultimate over and launching a six off Arshdeep’s final over, giving South Africa a glimpse of an improbable win. The fourth an final match of the series will be played on Friday in Johannesburg.

OUT! Arshdeep Singh traps Marco Jansen in front for a massive wicket. Rapped on the pads, and the umpire says no! India go for the review once more. It was a very full delivery, darting in on the pads. Jansen completely missed it. It looked to hit him in line, with no bat involved. UltraEdge confirms no contact with the bat, and Ball Tracking shows the ball pitching in line, hitting in line, and crashing into the stumps.

Marco Jansen brings up his maiden fifty off just 16 balls. Arshdeep aimed for a wide yorker but ended up delivering a half-volley. Jansen got under it, opened the face of his bat slightly, and sliced it past Tilak at the deep cover boundary!

SA 202/6, 18 needed off 4

Marco Jansen punishes Hardik Pandya in the penultimate over. He races to 48 off just 15 balls with 4 fours and as many sixes. 26 runs off 19th over.

SA 195/6, need 25 off last over

OUT! Heinrich Klaasen's blitzkrieg of 41 off 22 balls comes to an end. Arshdeep Singh takes his second wicket. Klaasen went for a big lofted cover drive but toe-ended it high, resulting in an easy catch for Tilak Varma at the boundary.

SA 167/6 in 17.4 overs

SIX! Marco Jansen gets into his elements clobbering Ravi Bishnoi for back-to-back sixes in the 17th over. But asking rate continues to be an uphill task for the visitors.

SA 161/5 after 17 overs, need 59 from 18 balls

OUT! Hardik Pandya strikes to give India a massive breakthrough. David Miller walks back to the pavilion. Axar Patel plucks a sensational catch at the boundary line. He timed his jump to perfection to take spectacular catch at deep mid wicket. Hardik Pandya gets his first wicket of the game.

SA 42/5 in 15.5 overs, need 78 runs in 25 balls

Heinrich Klaasen fires on all cylinders as he takes on Varun Chakravarthy smashing him for three straight sixes to keep South Africa's hopes alive in the match. But followed next left Indian fans disappointed as captain Suryakumar Yadav puts him down at covers. 23 runs off the over including three sixes and a four.

SA 126/4 after 14 overs, need 94 from 36 balls

Axar Patel completed his quota of 4 overs, returning figures of 1/29 including the big wicket of Tristan Stubbs. South Africa 99/4 after 12 overs

OUT! Varun Chakravarthy makes amend quickly after being smashed for two towering sixes by South Africa captain Aiden Markram. He goes for another big one but this time holes out to Ramandeep Singh at deep mid wicket. India are clearly ahead at the moment in this encounter.

SA 84/4 at the halfway stage

OUT! Axar Patel joins the party, bags his first wicket of the match. The left-arm spinner traps Tristan Stubbs in front to leave South Africa struggling at 68/3 in 8.5 overs. Axar bowled a clever angle from round the wicket, cramping the right-hander for room. Stubbs couldn't get far enough from the line to play the reverse sweep, and the ball struck him in line with off stump, crashing into the leg stump, as confirmed by ball tracker.

After conceding 14 runs in his first over, Axar Patel made a good comeback as he gave away just three runs in his second over. South Africa now find themselves under little but of pressure. The asking rate has gone up over 12 in their 220-run chase

SA 58/2 after 7 overs

OUT! Varun Chakravarthy strikes in his first over to remove dangerous looking Reeza Hendricks for 21. Reeza completely missed the ball, which was outside off stump. He swung hard but missed, and it was an easy stumping for Sanju Samson.

SA 47/2 in 5.3 Overs

Reeza Hendricks launched counter-attack after losing Rickelton early. He took on Axar Patel in his first over, collecting three fours in it to lead South Africa's tall chase.

SA 46/1 after 5 overs - Target 220

Chopped on! Arshdeep Singh has had the last laugh after being hit for four and six in the third over. Unlucky dismissal for Ryan Rickelton. He gets a thick inside edge and the ball ends up smashing into the stumps.

SA 27/1 after 3 overs - Target 220

Ryan Rickelton gets a life early in the second over. The left-handed batter looks to smash it into next week but don't get the timing right. Axar gets himself into a comfortable position but then drops the catch while attempting a reverse cup.

SA 16/0 in 1.4 overs - Target 220

There are too many insects now, and it's affecting the players. As a result, the umpires have decided to take the players off the field.

South Africa 7/0 after 1 over

In their huge pursuit of 220 against India, South Africa openers Reeza Hendricks and Ryan Rickelton off to a good start, collecting seven runs in the first over bowled by Arshdeep Singh

Sanju Samson is the second batter from a Full Member side to score five ducks in 2024 after Zimbabwe's Regis Chakabva (2022)

Eighth 200+ totals for India in T20s in 2024 - the most by a team surpassing seven each by Birmingham Bears in 2022, India in 2023, and Japan in 2024

Tilak Varma is the second youngest Indian to score a T20I century after Yashasvi Jaiswal

Ramandeep became the second Indian, after SKY, in hitting first ball of T20I career for a six

India finish with 219/6 from 20 overs with Tilak Varma's 107 from 56 balls at the forefront of it. He took the attack to South Africa almost from the start and never looked back. He found support from Abhishek Sharma who also came good with a fifty. At one point, India were looking good for 225-230 runs.

India were pegged back a touch by South Africa taking wickets in the middle as Suryakumar Yadav and Abhishek fell in quick succession

For South Africa, Jansen was the pick of the bowlers. He set the tone by removing Samson for a duck and then gave away just four off the 20th over

WICKET! RUN OUT! Over rate penalty has been imposed on South Africa and they can only have four fielders outside the circle. On the penultimate ball, Tilak and Ramandeep try to steal a single but that was a lost cause. Ramandeep is caught short by Klaasen

Ramandeep run out Klaasen 15 (6)

Now that the milestone part is over, Tilak returns to steering India to a big total and the over finishes with a six! A full toss on middle and off, Tilak scoops it over fine leg

A double on the second ball and now a four for Ramandeep. Sipamla misses the yorker and Ramandeep makes the most of the delivery in the arc

Ramandeep Singh gets off the mark in international cricket with a six. What a way to introduce yourself! Pumps it over long on for a six

BOWLED! Wonderful yorker by Simelane and Rinku Singh has to walk back. A slower one from the South African, Rinku is early into the shot and misses the ball. It goes on to hit the middle stump

Rinku b Simelane 8 (13)

India are 190/5

Tilak moves right along to 94! It is in the slot outside off by Simelane, Tilak smacks it over the bowler's head. No chance for the fielder at mid-on

Under pressure Coetzee would be glad he's seen the back of the Tilak for now. Bounced, Tilak is ready for it, ramps it over the wicketkeeper's head for a four. Tilak moves along to 87 from 45 balls

Coetzee into the attack. First ball, into the slot, outside off, Tilak extends his arms and sends it over the long on region

A ball later, short-ish one, Tilak whips it over deep square leg for another gorgeous and cracking shot

After no boundary for 19 balls, Tilak Varma unleashes and he breaks the shackles with some sublime hitting. Maharaj at the receiving end of the mayhem. First one crashes over extra cover; next one, a six, is almost pre-meditated and goes towards deep square leg. The third, a four, beats a flying Stubbs and breaches the field. 16 from the over

WICKET! LBW! Hardik Pandya sweeps and misses the ball completely. Maharaj appeals and up goes the finger. Pandya reviews the decision. Nothing on UltraEdge and Ball Tracking shows all reds. India lose their review and fourth wicket

Pandya lbw b Maharaj 18 (16)

India are 132/4 after 13 overs

FIFTY! Half century for Tilak Varma, his third in T20I cricket. It has taken the left-hander 32 balls to get to the mark. Acknowledges the applause from the dugout

Pandya collects four more! Half-volley on off stump by Sipamla, Pandya with a sublime straight drive and it beats Coetzee to his left at long on

Hardik Pandya wastes little time in making the most of this batting haven. Fullish on middle by Maharaj, Pandya gets down on one knee and blasts it towards deep square leg where Simelane makes a complete mess of it

A ball later, Pandya makes room and whacks it behind point for four

WICKET! Suryakumar Yadav returns to the dugout after scoring just one run. Length ball outside off by Simelane, gets SKY to go square on the off side. He gives in to the challenge but doesn't get the purchase needed. It is sliced and Jansen, remained on the deep point fence, and makes no mistake

Suryakumar c Jansen b Simelane 1 (4b)

India are 110/3

STUMPED! One aggressive shot too many but Abhishek Sharma can walk back after doing a great job for India. Maharaj breaks the 107-run partnership. Slanted outside of off stump, Abhishek came down the track, missed it completely and Klaasen does the rest

Abhishek st. Klaasen b Maharaj 50 (25)

Abhishek Sharma had been under tremendous pressure to perform after a series of poor scores. He's proven the detractors wrong. Comes down the track and launches it over long on for a six. Next ball, collects a single for a fifty

Tilak Varma gets underneath it against Coetzee and sends it soaring over the square leg region for a six. That is a gorgeous and cracking shot. To make things worse for South Africa, it was a no ball

Aiden Markram slants in on a fullish length on middle and off to Tilak Varma. He brings out the reverse sweep and powerfully sends it over the deep backward point fence for a six

After 70/1 in the powerplay overs, South Africa introduce spin for the first time in the form of Aiden Markram. Second ball, Abhishek gets to the pitch of the ball and finds the gap for a boundary

Fourth six of the inning for Abhishek Sharma! Length delivery by Sipamla, on leg stump and Abhishek steps outside the leg stump and sends it over the cover fence for yet another maximum

Simelane to Abhishek and he's sent it soaring into the stands for consecutive sixes. A half-tracker and it gets the treatment. Next ball, not a bad ball, but that's a beautiful strike. The second one goes over the cover region. What a shot!

Bouncer on middle and leg by Jansen and it rushes onto Tilak. He is late to react and the ball flies off the helmet, looping over Klaasen. The physio comes out to check on the India batter. He is good to continue

Abhishek with back of a length delivery, on leg stump, the opener goes outside leg, gives himself room and then sends it over point for a maximum

Next ball, a half-volley is send through cover and backward point