In a commanding display at the Wanderers Stadium, India defeated South Africa by 106 runs in the final T20I. The victory was fueled by Suryakumar Yadav's exceptional century and a dominant five-wicket performance from Kuldeep Yadav. With the first game of the series having been rained out, this win brings the series to a 1-1 draw. Fans can look forward to more action starting Sunday, December 17, as the teams begin their three-match ODI series during the iconic 'Pink Day' at the New Wanderers.
Men in Blue exhibited a dominating performance to beat South Africa by 106 runs in the last and final T20I at the Wanderers Stadium. World No.1 T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav’s stellar ton and Kuldeep Yadav’s five-wicket haul powered India to register a remarkable win, leveling the three-match series 1-1 with the first game being washed out. The action will next turn to the three-match ODI series as the fans are guaranteed continuous entertainment. The first ODI will be played on December 17, Sunday, the famous ‘Pink Day’ at the New Wanderers.
India's start with the bat was rocky, as South African spinner Keshav Maharaj struck twice in the 3rd over to dismiss Shubman Gill (8) and Tilak Varma (0). A missed DRS opportunity likely cost Gill his wicket. However, the momentum shifted when Yashasvi Jaiswal and Suryakumar partnered for a stellar 112 runs, successfully recovering the innings and putting India in a strong position.
Jaiswal eventually fell after a brisk 60 off 41 balls. Even as the middle order struggled, Suryakumar kept the pressure on the bowlers with a relentless attack. He reached his fourth T20I century in a mere 55 balls, blending power and precision with 8 sixes and 7 fours. It was a true captain's performance that pushed India's total to 201/7 by the end of the 20 overs.
The Proteas' pursuit started poorly when Mukesh Kumar early dismissed Matthew Breetzke for 4. A sharp piece of fielding by Mohammed Siraj then helped remove the threat of Reeza Hendricks (8), followed by Arshdeep Singh removing the explosive Heinrich Klaasen for just 5. Although Aiden Markram and David Miller managed 25 and 35 runs respectively, the South African lineup couldn't handle Kuldeep's spin. They continued to lose wickets under pressure, ultimately falling short of the target.