INDORE: South Africa’s left-handed batter Rilee Rossouw wreaked havoc over the Indian bowling line-up as he smashed a 48-ball century in the third T20I to power his side to a massive 49-run consolation victory.
Batting first on the invitation of the hosts’ captain Rohit Sharma, South Africa finished at a mammoth 227/3 in 20 overs at the back of a magnificent century from Rossouw.
The touring side had a dismal start as they lost their captain Temba Bavuma (3) cheaply at a combined score of 30 in the fifth over.
Following the early slump, wicketkeeper batter Quinton de Kock and Rossouw stood up for their team and added a crucial 90 runs for the second wicket.
The stand was majorly dominated by de Kock, who, however, fell in the 12th over after a terrific half-century; scoring 68 off 43 with the help of six boundaries and four sixes.
Rossouw, on the other hand, seemed unaffected by de Kock’s dismissal and carried on the onslaught on the Indian batters as he top-scored for his side with an unbeaten century knock. He scored 100* off just 48 deliveries including seven boundaries and eight sixes.
Last match centurion for South Africa – David Miller scored an unbeaten 19 off a mere five including three consecutive sixes in the final over.
For India, Umesh Yadav and Deepak Chahar managed to make one scalp each.
Set to chase a mammoth 228, India fell 49 runs short as the home side bundled out for 178 in the 19th over.
Dinesh Karthik top-scored for India with a quickfire knock of 43; facing a mere 21 deliveries and smashing four boundaries and as many sixes, while Chahar chipped in with a crucial 31 at the death.
The rest of the Indian batters failed to contribute significantly in the run chase and the hosts, as a result, failed to complete the whitewash over South Africa.
Dwaine Pretorius led the bowling attack for the Proteas with 3/26, while Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, and Wayne Parnell bagged two each. Kagiso Rabada, on the other hand, struck out a batter.
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