India win T20I series after thrashing South Africa at Johannesburg

Visitors India won the four-match T20I series against the hosts South Africa by 3-1 after winning the series decider by 135 runs at Johannesburg. 

After the Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav chose to bat first, India scored their second-highest T20I total of 283/1 in 20 overs. In reply, South Africa were all out for 148 runs. 

Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma scored centuries

The first innings of the match only experienced India’s dominant batting performance. Openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma had a 73-run partnership inside the powerplay, where Sharma was out after scoring 36 off 18 balls with the help of two fours and four sixes. 

Then Samson and Tilak Varma dominated over all the Proteas bowlers. Samson and Varma had a 201-run partnership for the unbroken second wicket as both completed their centuries. 

Samson scored his third T20I century and remained not out on 109 off 56 balls with the help of six fours and nine sixes. Meanwhile, Varma scored centuries in two consecutive T20I innings and scored 120 not out off 47 balls with the help of nine fours and 10 sixes. 

Arshdeep Singh made the South African top orders clueless

South Africa were down to 10/4 in just the third over. The left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh picked up three wickets as the Proteas had no answers against Arshdeep’s incredible new-ball swings. 

While the opener Reeza Hendricks was bowled by Arshdeep for a duck on the third ball of the innings, Hardik Pandya took another opener Ryan Rickelton (1) in the next over. In the third over, Arshdeep dismissed captain Aiden Markram (8) and Heinrich Klaasen (0) on the last two balls. 

The Indian left-arm pacer was on a hat-trick but he closely missed out on that opportunity. 

At the end of the powerplay, South Africa were battling at 30/4. 

Tristan Stubbs and David Miller fought well

Although Tristan Stubbs and David Miller were too far away to threaten the visiting bowlers, they set up a good partnership of 86 runs for the fifth wicket. While the in-form Stubbs maintained his performance from the early stage of his innings, Miller struggled in his first 15 balls. However, Miller later smashed three sixes. 

After a good recovery, Stubbs and Miller were dismissed on the back-to-back balls. First, Miller was out for 36 off 27 balls (two fours and three sixes) by the leading wicket-taker of the series Varun Chakravarthy, and Ravi Bishnoi dismissed Stubbs for 43 off 29 balls (three fours and two sixes).  

Marco Jansen had a powerful cameo

Since the fall of the fifth wicket, only Marco Jansen’s batting shined in the remaining innings. Jansen remained not out for 29 runs off 12 balls (two fours and three sixes).

All the Indian bowlers picked up at least one wicket. While Arshdeep Singh took three wickets (3/20), Axar Patel (2/2) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/42) got two wickets each. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya (1/8), Ramandeep Singh (1/42), and Ravi Bishnoi (1/28) got one wicket each. 

Player of the Match and Player of the Series

Indian cricketer Tilak Varma won both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards. He scored the highest runs in the match (120*) and also finished the series as the leading run-scorer (280 runs).