With the five-match T20I series delicately poised at 1-1, India and South Africa gear up for a crucial third encounter at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala on Sunday.

The Proteas arrive high on confidence after a dominant showing in the second T20I.

Batting first, South Africa piled on an imposing 219, powered by Quinton de Kock’s scintillating 90 off just 46 deliveries, with valuable support from Aiden Markram (29) and Donovan Ferreira (30*). 

In response, India began aggressively but stumbled after losing early wickets. Tilak Varma’s valiant 62 off 34 balls stood out, but the hosts were eventually bowled out for 162, succumbing to a 51-run defeat in New Chandigarh.

With the series hanging in the balance, Suryakumar Yadav’s men will be eager to bounce back and regain the momentum when they take the field in Dharamshala.

Nestled amid snow-capped mountains, the HPCA Stadium—known for its short boundaries and lightning-quick outfield, sets the stage for what promises to be a high-scoring contest as it hosts its 11th T20I.

The third T20I match will get underway at 7:00 PM IST.

Players to watch out for

Shubman Gill: The Indian vice-captain is yet to make a significant impact since returning to the T20I setup. With no prior experience at this venue, the Gujarat Titans skipper will be keen to make a statement. Gill’s elegant timing and ability to exploit short boundaries could make him a major threat on Sunday.

Tilak Varma: India’s leading run-scorer in the series so far, Varma has been a standout performer. His impressive 62 in the second T20I underlined his temperament and form. With 88 runs from two matches at an average of 44, the young left-hander will once again be expected to anchor India’s batting and deliver a match-winning performance.

India vs South Africa head-to-head record in T20 cricket

India hold the edge over South Africa in T20 international cricket, having won 19 of their 32 encounters. The Proteas have claimed 13 victories, while one match ended without a result.

India vs South Africa head-to-head record in T20 cricket

India’s T20I squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar

South Africa’s T20I squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Tony de Zorzi, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Tristan Stubbs (wicket-keeper)

Upcoming milestones to keep an eye on

Shubman Gill needs 116 runs to complete 5,500 runs in his T20 career.

Suryakumar Yadav is 5 sixes away from 400 sixes in T20 cricket.

Tilak Varma is 7 runs away from 4,000 runs in T20s.

Sanju Samson needs 4 runs to record 8,000 runs in T20s.

Suryakumar Yadav is 42 runs away from 9,000 runs in T20s.

Where to watch India vs South Africa 3rd T20I live

The India vs South Africa 3rd T20I will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network’s TV channels.

Live streaming of the IND vs SA 3rd T20I will be available on the JioHotstar app and website.