IND vs SA: Arshdeep shines as India clinch 3rd T20I at Dharamsala

DHARAMSALA: India put on a clinical performance to beat South Africa and take a 2‑1 lead in the five-match T20I series, winning the third game in Dharamsala.

After winning the toss, India chose to bowl first, and their plan worked perfectly.

Arshdeep Singh was the star with the ball, troubling the South African batsmen with his pace, movement, and pinpoint accuracy.

He picked up key wickets and kept the pressure on throughout the innings.

The Indian pace attack, led by him, ensured that South Africa never got a big partnership going, restricting them to a below-par total.

Chasing a modest target, India’s batting was calm and controlled. The team reached the target comfortably, winning by seven wickets, thanks to a steady and confident performance from the top order.

The victory highlighted India’s strong bowling depth and balanced team, with the pacers making life difficult for a strong South African lineup.

With this win, India not only claimed the crucial third T20I but also gained a psychological edge in the series.

The team will now look to carry this momentum into the remaining matches, but for now, Arshdeep Singh’s performance and India’s all-round show will be the talk of the town.

Jasprit Bumrah missed the third T20I in Dharamsala, heading back to Ahmedabad for personal reasons, while Axar Patel was out sick. India won the toss for the second game in a row and chose to field, given the dewy conditions.

Bumrah’s absence opened the door for Harshit Rana, whose batting at No. 8 gave India some extra depth. It also allowed Kuldeep Yadav to come in and join the mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy. Varun is just one wicket shy of 50 T20I scalps, and Kuldeep is among only five bowlers in the world who have taken 50 wickets while maintaining an even better average.

For India, the playing XI is: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav.

For South Africa, the playing XI is: Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (captain), Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, and Ottneil Baartman.