India rode a devastating new-ball spell from Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana to defeat South Africa by seven wickets in the third T20I at Dharamsala, taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
On a pitch offering rare assistance for fast bowlers in T20 cricket, India bundled South Africa out for just 117 before completing the chase with 25 balls to spare.
Arshdeep, coming off a forgettable outing in the previous game, produced a sharp correction with figures of 2 for 13, setting the tone with early swing and seam.
Rana, stepping in for the rested Jasprit Bumrah, struck twice as South Africa collapsed to 7 for 3 inside four overs. Aiden Markram stood firm amid the chaos, scoring a composed 61, but found little support as India’s spinners tightened the noose in the middle overs.
Varun Chakravarthy was particularly effective, conceding just 11 runs while picking up two crucial wickets.
Chasing a modest target, India briefly wobbled, but Abhishek Sharma ensured there was no real drama. His explosive 35 off 18 balls, peppered with sixes in the powerplay, effectively killed the contest. Shubman Gill added stability as India crossed the line comfortably.
With conditions amplifying India’s bowling strengths, the hosts delivered a near-complete performance to seize momentum heading into the fourth T20I.