Less that two months from World Cup defence, hosts, in their seven-wicket thrashing of South Africa, show dexterity in skinning teams with different weapons
With the defence of their T20 World Cup title drawing closer, the Indian cricket team delivered a commanding performance in the third T20 International against South Africa at Dharamshala, underlining why they are considered one of the most complete sides in the format. In challenging sub-10 degree Celsius conditions, India defeated South Africa by seven wickets, taking a 2–1 lead in the five-match series and restoring confidence after a disappointing loss in the previous game.
The match was played on a surface that offered significant assistance to fast bowlers, especially early on, with noticeable seam movement and the added challenge of cold weather. South Africa, opting to bat first, found run-scoring extremely difficult. The conditions were so demanding that it took them more than 100 deliveries to register their first six, a rare occurrence in modern T20 cricket.
India’s bowling unit rose to the occasion with discipline, control, and smart use of conditions. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh set the tone with an excellent opening spell, extracting movement off the pitch and troubling the batters with accuracy. He was well supported by Harshit Rana, whose pace and bounce unsettled the South African top order. Within the powerplay, the visitors were reduced to 25 for 3, placing them firmly on the back foot.
Hardik Pandya added further pressure by picking up crucial wickets in the middle overs, leaving South Africa struggling at 30 for 4 after seven overs. While partnerships were attempted, none truly flourished under India’s relentless squeeze. South African captain Aiden Markram stood out as the lone bright spot, playing a composed and courageous innings of 61 from 46 balls. His knock showed character and skill, but lacked support from the other end.
Despite expectations that dew might aid batting later in the innings, the Indian bowlers adapted superbly, keeping the boundary count low on a ground known for high-scoring T20 matches. South Africa eventually posted a modest total of 119, a target that always looked within India’s reach.
India’s response with the bat was decisive and confident. Openers came out with clear intent, and Abhishek Sharma wasted no time in asserting dominance. He struck a six off the very first ball of the chase, setting the tone for what followed. Unfazed by the quality of South Africa’s fast bowling attack, Abhishek played with freedom and clarity, attacking anything short or wide and showing excellent timing.
His explosive knock of 35 off just 18 deliveries ensured India gained early control of the chase. By the end of the powerplay, India were 68 for 1, effectively sealing the outcome despite losing Abhishek’s wicket. His innings removed all pressure from the middle order and allowed the team to approach the remainder of the chase with caution and composure.
Shubman Gill contributed a steady 28, playing the role required in the situation, though he had a few anxious moments against the moving ball. Captain Suryakumar Yadav, still searching for his best form, added a brief cameo. While neither looked completely fluent, the strong foundation laid earlier ensured their struggles did not affect the final result.
India reached the target comfortably with 25 balls to spare, a result that reflected their all-round dominance rather than reliance on individual brilliance. More importantly, the victory highlighted India’s depth and adaptability — a crucial trait as they prepare for the uncertainties of T20 tournament cricket.
This match served as a reminder that champion teams are not defined by a single style of play. India showed they can win through bowling strength, disciplined fielding, aggressive starts, or calm finishing, depending on the conditions. With just a handful of matches left before the World Cup, such flexibility could prove invaluable.
As the series moves to Lucknow, India will take confidence from this performance, knowing that even in testing conditions and after recent setbacks, they possess the balance, talent, and mindset of a true championship side.
And until then, it had been Abhishek who had, more or less, put the nail in the coffin with his typical early offensive. Such is the opener’s fine touch at the moment that even devilish conditions and outright pace from South Africa’s daunting-looking fast bowlers did not perturb him from going for, and finding, those attacking shots. He came down the ground to hit back-of-the-length balls on the up, cut anything that he found wide and a tad short, and timed any stray ball perfectly into gaps.
It was largely thanks to his efforts (35 from 18 balls) that India were up to 55 in the run chase by the start of the fifth over, and were 68 for 1 at the close of the powerplay even though he lost his own wicket. From there, India could afford to take their time and make sure there were no late twists, slowing down to ensure victory.
An easy run chase, especially when set so well early on, may have been a good chance for some of India’s batting stars to get easy runs. Shubman Gill did contribute, with a run-a-ball 28 that was appropriate pacing considering the match situation. But it was hardly chanceless; early on, several testing balls off a length hit or missed his edge, and he narrowly escaped a second successive golden duck after a fine-inside edge overturned the umpire’s decision of holding him out from an in-swinging Marco Jansen delivery, exactly the kind of ball that tests