India moved into a commanding 2–1 lead in the five-match T20 International series after outplaying South Africa by seven wickets in a cold and testing encounter in Dharamsala on Sunday night. After winning the toss, India sent the Proteas in to bat – a decision that paid immediate dividends as the visitors unravelled under pressure in the opening exchanges. 

Reeza Hendricks fell for a duck, Quinton de Kock managed just one, and Dewald Brevis departed for two as South Africa slumped to a disastrous 7/3 inside four overs.

The collapse continued as Tristan Stubbs (9) and Corbin Bosch (4) followed in quick succession, leaving the Proteas in a perilous position at 44/5 after 10.1 overs. 

Captain Aiden Markram and Donovan Ferreira attempted to arrest the slide with a brief rebuilding effort, but Ferreira’s dismissal for 20 left South Africa teetering once more at 69/6.

Markram stood firm amid the chaos, digging deep for a defiant 61 off 46 balls, striking six fours and two sixes in a lone hand that underscored his class and resolve. However, with little support at the other end, the innings never truly gathered momentum, and the Proteas were eventually bowled out for 117 off the final ball.

India’s spinners did the bulk of the damage, with Varun Chakravarthy leading the charge with 2/11 in his four overs. Arshdeep Singh with 2/13 in 4 overs, and Kuldeep Yadav 2/12 in 2 overs, offered excellent support to keep South Africa on a tight leash throughout.

Aiden Markram. Photo: Cricinfo

Chasing a modest target, India wasted little time asserting control. Abhishek Sharma blazed his way to 35 off 18 balls before being dismissed by Bosch with the score on 60/1 in the sixth over. Shubman Gill added a composed 28, while Tilak Varma chipped in with 26 as the hosts cruised to victory with 25 balls to spare.

Reflecting on the defeat, Markram acknowledged the challenging conditions but reiterated the importance of adaptability at international level.

“From a captain’s point of view, you’re always a fan of conditions like that because you feel you’re in the game, but as a batter you obviously want a flat wicket,” said Markram.

Corbin Bosch. Photo: Cricinfo

“It’s a tricky balance. The conditions were tough with the time of year and the cold playing a role, but I don’t really see a problem with it. 

“Low-scoring games can be great to watch and real nail-biters – there’s a time and a place for everything.”

The Proteas skipper conceded that his side left vital runs on the park, and this was the difference between the two teams.

Abhishek Sharma. Photo: Cricinfo

“To the eye, it actually looked like a good wicket, and I think the Indian camp felt the same. You don’t necessarily expect it to do that much for such a long period, but it was challenging throughout the innings,” he said.

“We were probably 20 to 30 runs short. It’s not about making big changes – it’s about understanding it wasn’t a 200-run pitch and finding a way to post a competitive total.”

The fourth T20 International will be played on Wednesday in Lucknow, with the match scheduled to get underway at 15:30.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cvs