India already had the series in bag going into the final T20I of the three-match series in Indore on Tuesday and they would have loved to complete a whitewash with yet another victory. But their party was spoilt by Rilee Rossouw who scored an unbeaten 100 off just 48 deliveries to power the visitors to a 49-run win.
After winning the toss, India skipper Rohit Sharma opted to field first. Although they got the wickets of Temba Bavuma quite early in the innings, there was no stopping the Proteas once Rossouw joined Quinton de Kock at the crease. The duo put on a stand of 90 runs in just eight overs for the second wicket and it came to an end with de Kock’s dismissal, as he got run put for a well-made 68 off just 43 deliveries.
Tristan Stubbs joined Rossouw in the middle after that. Although the youngster struggled a bit, Rossouw kept smashing the Indian bowlers all around the ground and eventually got to his hundred as well. Stubbs got dismissed for 23 off 18 deliveries in the final over and David Miller walked in to bat after that. Miller added valuable 19 runs in the five deliveries he faced to propel South Africa to a massive total of 227/3.
The chase wasn’t going to be easy for India as they were playing a batter short in this match. But they were expected to put on a fight at least, which didn’t happen at all. India lost the wickets of Rohit and Shreyas Iyer with just four runs on the board. Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik led India’s recovery after that. Pant was just taking off when he was out caught in the covers for a knock of 27 off just 14 deliveries.
Karthik, who was promoted to bat at no.4 in this match to give him some gametime, continued his rampage after Pant’s dismissal. He smashed four sixes and as many fours during his stay at the crease, and was finally cleaned up by Keshav Maharaj while attempting a reverse sweep. He played an excellent hand of 46 off 21 deliveries, though.
Wickets kept tumbling at regular dismissals after Karthik’s dismissal as Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel also went back to the dug out with single-digit scores to their names.
The lower-order did offer some resistance, though. Deepak Chahar played an excellent hand of 31 off just 17 deliveries. Harshal Patel also scored 17 off 12 whereas Umesh Yadav remained unbeaten on 20 off 17 deliveries. India finally got bowled out for 178, 49 runs short of South Africa’s total.
Dwaine Pretorius was the pick of the Protea bowlers registering figures of 3/26 whereas the likes of Wayne Parnell, Lungi Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj picked up two wickets each. The series ended 2-1 in favour of India with Rilee Rossouw adjudged as the Player of the Match and Suryakumar Yadav the Player of the Series.
Brief Scores
South Africa 227/3 in 20 overs (Rossouw 100*, de Kock 68; Umesh 1/34)
India 178 All out in 18.3 overs (Karthik 46, Chahar 31; Pretorius 3/26)
South Africa won by 49 runs.
