3rd T20I: India Conquer South Africa In Blue, Clinch Series 2-1

India beat South Africa by 7 runs in the third and final T20I at Newlands, Cape Town to clinch the three-match series 2-1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar kept his nerve as he gave away only 11 off the last over when South Africa needed 19 to win. Christiaan Jonker played a brilliant cameo at the end to keep South Africa in the hunt after the Proteas failed to keep up with the asking rate throughout the innings. The South African skipper JP Duminy played a lone hand of 55 before getting dismissed that many thought was the final nail in the coffin for the Proteas before Jonker took matters in his own hands and gave South Africa a glimmer of hope in the later stages of the match. At the end South Africa could manage 165 for 6, chasing a target of 173.

Jonker (49 off 24) was dismissed in the last ball of the innings as Bhuvneshwar picked up his second wicket and remained one of the most successful bowlers for the Indians in the match. Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Hardik Pandya and Suresh Raina picked up a wicket each that helped India dominate the proceedings for most part of the South African innings. 

Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina got India back on track after the visitors lost Rohit Sharma early on. Both Dhawan (47) and Raina (43) found the fence every now and then that got the scoreboard moving and added 65 runs for the second wicket. Raina was dismissed trying to up the ante but Dhawan continued to impress before losing his wicket in the 15th over of the innings.

India failed to capitalise on the start as the middle order found it difficult to get going. Pandya (21) tried his best before he was sent back by Chris Morris while MS Dhoni (12) looked out of sorts in his short stay at the crease. Dinesh Karthik (13 off 6) got going almost immediately with a couple of boundaries and his late blitz with the bat helped India reach 172 for 7 at the end of 20 overs.