IND vs SA

The series keeps throwing these lopsided games and India now have been twice on the right side of the results in three games. It will now be do-or-die terriotry for South Africa as we move to Lucknow for the fourth game after a couple of days time where we hope to get much more of a close contest. Time for us to take your leave then, this is Sourabh Agrawal on behalf of Sooryanarayanan Sesha signing off, keep following Sportskeeda!

Arshdeep Singh is the Player of the Match for his 2/13, here are his words: "When I walked in the ground, everyone was telling me that this is also your home ground but I told them that no it isn't and then it felt better. After that, it was all about sticking to the basics, it was just an off day (last game). Nothing changed, I just tried to pitch the ball up and get some assistance off the wicket. There was some assistance as well, it was cold and it was swinging. (On Reeza Hendricks' wicket) Surya bhai wanted to create the suspense but I knew it was out as soon as it hit the pad. (On the second review he wanted against Brevis) As a bowler you always want it, I thought it hit the pad twice, I will take care of it going forward (smiles). My niece is here, she is 10 months old. I want to dedicate this award to her."

Suryakumar Yadav (India captain): "This sport teaches you a lot of things. How you come back into the series is very important. We wanted to go back to the basics and do what we did well at Cuttack and the result was on our side. There was a lot of learning from the game which we played in Chandigarh. We had a good team meeting as well, came for practice and tried to do the same things we did in Cuttack. We didn't try to do a lot of different things but basics were important. (On his form) The thing is I've been batting beautifully in the nets. Been trying everything I can. In the match, the runs have to come, they'll definitely come. Not out of form but definitely out of runs. We'll enjoy tonight - we'll enjoy the wind tonight, sit down tomorrow when we reach Lucknow, look at what happened in this game and talk about that."

Aiden Markram (South Africa captain): "It is hard to say (on the see-saw nature of the series). Tough conditions up front, they got the ball in the right areas and before you know it you are 4-5 down. Credit to their bowlers, bowled test match lines and lengths. If conditions stay like this, we might have to put more pressure on them but you have got to give credit to them. It was tough (on his own batting). They were not giving anything to hit, I was thinking to take it deep and 140-150 would have been massive, even when I got out I felt that I could have stayed in and hit it out of the park to get the score up. Picking a bowler to hit is the way to go about it. When you get the matchup comes, you have to take it on. Don't want to do any negative talks to the guys like 'keep the ball on the floor'. The start (with the ball), they were always going to play like that, credits to Abhi (Abhishek). We need to get it in the right areas at that time in the first 3-4 overs, the bowlers did well after that and dragged it deep."

A stellar blitz from Abhishek Sharma to set the tone for India's chase. Of course, it had fans marveling at it. Here's a look at the reactions!👇

Let's hear from Varun Chakaravarthy: I was not aware of it (50 T20I wickets). Definitely it was doing a bit when the fast-bowlers were bowling and it was seaming a lot. Other than that, very tough conditions - I've never played on a ground that this chill so that was tough. (Doesn't help coming from Chennai, does it?) No no, this can never happen in Chennai (laughs). We did have a bowling meeting and some honest conversations. We figured out where we went wrong. Credit has to go to the bowlers and the management too. It's a two-way conversation that has to happen and it happened very well. I was trying to stick to my strength and today it worked out well. Today the ball was skidding more than turning so all I was trying to do was skid the ball onto the batters. (On being the 2nd fastest Indian to 50 T20I wickets) Feels good - as long as I'm playing for India and picking up wickets, I'll feel good.

10:15 PM IST and local time: India (120/3 in 15.5 overs) beat South Africa (117 all-out in 20 overs) by 7 wickets and 25 balls to spare

Abhishek Sharma 35(18) | Varun Chakaravarthy 2/11(4)
Aiden Markram 61(46) | Corbin Bosch 1/18(3)

It took its own sweet time to arrive but the win is here for India, they get home quite comfortably in the end and take a 2-1 lead in this 5-match series

The result in isolation looks like a cakewalk for India and yes it was but India would know that they could have finished proceedings off quicker perhaps. Nonetheless, it is a dominating win for the hosts and they have pretty much ticked all the boxes barring the two boxes at the top with the bat.

Gill did spend some time in the middle for a run-a-ball 28 but looked scratchy while he did so, SKY could only manage 12 but it was the blitz from Abhishek Sharma at the top which took India to 68/0 at the end of the powerplay and killed any miniscule hopes that South Africa had.

Tilak remained unbeaten on 25* off 34, he too found it tough going but he stuck it out. The ball was still moving around for the seamers even in the dying moments of the match and South Africa would be aware that the game was really done in the first half itself.

For the second time in three games, South Africa were bowled out for a cheap score. It was a complete blowout again, the only thing this time that Aiden Markram was the lone warrior with his 10th T20I fifty.

All six Indian bowlers shared the wickets. 2 each for Arshdeep, Harshit, Varun and Kuldeep while the all-rounders Hardik and Dube got one each too as they set up the match in the first innings itself in conditions where the ball moved around and the Protea batters came undone.

15.5 Ottneil Baartman to Shivam Dube, FOUR! DUBE SEALS IT IN STYLE! India go 2-1 up with two games to go! Dug short at the stumps and he anticipated this. Rocks back and heaves it over mid-wicket as he picks his spot. A couple of bounces, over the ropes and it brings the curtains down on this game - at last. India win by 7 wickets with 25 deliveries to spare!

15.4 Ottneil Baartman to Shivam Dube, SIX! CLEAN STRIKE! Real power in those forearms as Dube takes on the slot ball on middle and leg stump. He just extends his arms to power it off his bottom hand as he sends it soaring over long on while holding the pose

15.3 Ottneil Baartman to N. Tilak Varma, length ball on leg stump. Tilak knocks it to mid-on and tees off for a quick single - almost runs one and a half as he goes zigzag and turns the other way but ends up making it

15.2 Ottneil Baartman to N. Tilak Varma, full outside leg stump. Decks away as Tilak nearly falls over while attempting a flick. Thuds into the front pad

15.1 Ottneil Baartman to N. Tilak Varma, length ball angling away from the stumps. Tilak steps out and swings with gay abandon. Beaten as it decks away

14.6 Lungisani Ngidi to Shivam Dube, full outside off as he takes pace off. Dube swings powerfully at it but ends up dragging it onto his boots off the inside edge