In a thrilling T20I encounter at Centurion, India clinched a narrow victory over South Africa to take a 2-1 lead in the four-match series. After being put in to bat, India posted an imposing total of 220, thanks largely to Tilak Varma’s maiden T20I century. Coming in at number three, Tilak played an extraordinary knock, remaining unbeaten with 107 runs off just 56 balls. He, along with Abhishek Sharma, who contributed to a rapid 107-run partnership, set the tone for India’s innings. Ramandeep Singh also made a memorable impact on debut, hitting a six off the first ball he faced to push India’s total beyond the 210-run mark.

South Africa, faced with a daunting chase, kept themselves in contention through brisk contributions from Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller. However, it was Marco Jansen who almost pulled off a miraculous comeback for the Proteas. Coming in lower down the order, Jansen blasted a stunning 54 off just 16 balls, registering the fastest half-century ever against India. His power-hitting took the game down to the wire and created tense moments for the Indian side. Ultimately, Arshdeep Singh held his nerve in the final over, taking a crucial wicket to seal India’s victory by a slender margin, securing a 2-1 series lead with one match left to play.

See Also: Tilak Varma’s heroic century secures thrilling win for India over South Africa

Breakdown of Macro Jansen's 54 runs 

In an electrifying performance during the third T20I between India and South Africa, Marco Jansen delivered a clutch batting display that almost swung the match in South Africa’s favor. Chasing a massive target of 220, Jansen walked in with the required rate climbing, but his aggressive intent was evident from the very first ball. Known more for his left-arm pace bowling, Jansen showcased his batting prowess, launching an incredible counter-attack that saw him scoring at a blistering strike rate. His innings was instrumental in keeping South Africa in the game, as he scored 85% of his runs in boundaries, showcasing his power-hitting abilities.

Jansen’s control at the crease was impressive, with a 71% success rate in managing his shots effectively. His power was especially evident in the middle of the bat, where he middled 31% of his shots, sending the ball racing to the boundary. He showed a strong ability to pick his shots, even though a significant portion (31.25%) of his shots were mistimed, reflecting his all-or-nothing approach to the high-stakes chase. Despite the pressure, Jansen kept up the aggression, maintaining his intent to score quickly and bring the Proteas closer to the daunting target.

Throughout his innings, Jansen maintained a highly fluctuating strike rate, averaging around 317 across his four-ball cycles. His strike rate shot up to a high of 450 during crucial phases of the game, as he capitalized on loose deliveries and punished any errors in the Indian bowling. This fluctuating strike rate highlighted Jansen’s adaptability and awareness of the game situation, as he balanced boundary-hitting with moments where he took calculated risks to avoid losing his wicket.

Despite his boundary-hitting focus, Jansen managed a modest strike rotation of 14%, a reflection of the relentless pressure he faced to keep up with the climbing required rate. His innings underscored the fine line between aggressive shot-making and managing the strike, as he balanced big shots with the occasional single. His ability to find the gaps was crucial in ensuring that he was not bogged down, and his boundary-heavy approach kept the scoreboard ticking rapidly.

Ultimately, Jansen’s valiant 54 off just 16 balls was not enough to clinch the win for South Africa, but his heroic effort left a lasting impression. His remarkable innings, combining immense power with a controlled aggression, brought South Africa tantalizingly close to the target, giving the Indian bowlers a real scare. Jansen’s performance demonstrated his potential as an all-rounder capable of turning games with the bat as well as with the ball, adding a new dimension to his skillset and raising hopes for the Proteas in future contests.

See Also: Tristan Stubbs powers South Africa to thrilling victory in 2nd T20I

The Men in Blue will now face South Africa in their final game on Saturday at the Bridgetown in Barbados. Earlier on Thursday, the Proteas beat Afghanistan in the first semi-final. India has qualified for the T20 World Cup 2024 final after defeating England by 69 runs in their second semi-final in Guyana on Thursday.
South Africa beat Afghanistan in the first semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The Proteas advanced for their first World Cup final.

There will be several intriguing player battles ahead of the India-South Africa T20 World Cup final. Player clashes add a new level of excitement to the contest’s winner selection process. Let’s look at a few of them:

Rohit Sharma vs Kagiso Rabada

The Indian skipper has been in excellent form and is coming off two consecutive half-centuries. So far, no batter has hit three consecutive 50s in this tournament. The way Rohit is batting right now, it appears very possible, and he is a player who can remove the pitch from the equation.

That’s why it’s critical to stop him. Kagiso Rabada has also caused him problems on several occasions. Rabada has bowled Rohit 13 times in international cricket, including twice in the IPL. That means he eliminated the Indian captain 15 times in their 32 meetings.

Also Read: From weather to reserve day: All you need to know about T20 World Cup 2024 Final between South Africa and India

Virat Kohli vs Marco Jansen

Virat Kohli, the former Indian captain, is performing badly in this tournament. However, given his stature, he is capable of winning any position. That is why South Africa will not write him off. If South Africa can get him out early, it will put pressure on the remaining Indian batters, especially Rohit.

That is where we believe Marco Jansen can be useful. The pacer with the left arm is going to get the ball into him and are good bouncer, whereas Virat may struggle. Jansen dismissed Virat five times in international cricket and once in the Indian Premier League.

Heinrich Klaasen vs Kuldeep Yadav

South Africa will be contemplating their strategy against the Indian spinner, as this will be crucial in the SA vs IND final. Heinrich Klaasen will be the lineup’s biggest batter. He can face Indian spinner and score runs on shifting tracks as well.

Kuldeep Yadav, however, will be his most difficult challenge. This wrist spinner is difficult to read, which makes him a danger to any batter. Klaasen and Kuldeep have met ten times in international cricket, with Kuldeep dismissing him three times. In white-ball cricket, Klaasen has scored 84 runs off 64 balls against him.

Suryakumar Yadav vs Anrich Nortje

Not only will India rely on Rohit and Virat, but also on Suryakumar Yadav’s batting. He has been in excellent form throughout the tournament, and it is now time for him to deliver one final strong innings that will propel India to victory. He has a good record against South Africa.

He’ll be looking to play some unconventional shots. However, it can be difficult to beat Anrich Nortje, who can bowl at speeds ranging from 120 to 150 KMPH without changing his action. Nortje has twice dismissed Suryakumar in four IPL innings.

Quinton de Kock vs Jasprit Bumrah

Quinton de Kock is the leading scorer for South Africa in the current ICC T20 World Cup 2024. He scored runs against strong opposition and will be crucial for his team. If he gets going, he will not let the Indian bowlers rest. That is where it will be critical to get him out.

However, his first challenge will be versus Jasprit Bumrah. The ace pacer has given India a good start. His first spell will be critical. He has enjoyed bowling with De Kock. Bumrah has sacked De Kock six times, including once in the IPL.

Imagine sitting down for an exam and scanning the question paper, and realising you had all the answers. Royal Challengers Bangalore were coming into this game with four wins in five. One more and they could go joint-top of the table. Now imagine seeing every one of those questions you were so sure you knew the answers to just magically change to utter gibberish. Royal Challengers were bowled out for 68 and beaten by nine wickets in a match that only lasted 24.1 overs.

One over. Three runs. Three wickets. If new-ball bowling is an art, Marco Jansen was, at least for tonight, Pi-flippin-casso. His first wicket had the batter recoiling from the sound of his castle coming down, Faf du Plessis, turned into an S by the away movement and bowled past the leading edge.His second wicket was Virat Kohli. And this was a peach too. Full and angled across the right-hander. Pitching before he could reach it with the extra cover drive and stealing the edge through to the slips.

You look at Jansen and his 6’7″ frame, and you know he is going to get scary bounce. But if he is also capable of seaming the ball like this – and he got it to go both ways as well – he is going to be an invaluable asset to any number of teams. Having been 5 for 2, 20 for 4 and 47 for 6, Royal Challengers crashed to the sixth-lowest total in IPL history, and then suffered the fourth-biggest loss in terms of balls remaining (72). Demolition jobs like that require a little support from the other end too and T Natarajan provided it, his 3 for 10 in three overs taking him up to second spot on the wicket-takers list.

Must Read: Gujarat Titans Proving Their Doubters Wrong with Strong Wins: IPL 2022

SRH of course looks good with bowl, masterclass shown today

Glenn Maxwell has been very adamant about attacking the bowlers any time he has been at the crease this IPL. And he has done it so well that prior to this game, he had the second-highest strike rate (193.10) among all batters who had faced at least 50 deliveries this season.But is he he really giving himself enough of a chance to influence games? He came in to bat in the first over against Sunrisers, and fell in the fifth. Against Lucknow Super Giants, he was in in the first over, out in the seventh. Delhi Capitals, in in the third, out in the 12th. Chennai Super Kings, in in the sixth, out in the seventh.

Maxwell has the ability to score a 150 in a T20 match. He should really give himself more time in the middle. Kane Williamson has won seven tosses in eight games. That is the cricketing equivalent of pulling a rabbit out of a hat. But he wasn’t satisfied with that. He knew he could do more; that he could pull rhinos out of that hat.The moment Williamson saw some early seam movement, he gave Jansen a couple of slips. BAM. Kohli caught at second slip. 5 for 2.Dinesh Karthik is a phenomenal sweeper of the ball.

He went for one here, but only feathered it through to the keeper. The umpire didn’t give it out. So Williamson knew what he had to do. DRS. Bingo.He also took two glorious catches, one diving forward to collect a ball inches off the ground. BAM. Maxwell gone. The other running back, tracking a skier over his shoulder. BAM. Game over. Out for a golden duck in back-to-back games, Kohli’s average for the season is a barely-believable 17. That, for context, is just one point better than Mohammed Siraj. Kohli really could use a break. But this is a T20 World Cup year, and now that he is no longer captain.

Four wins in a row has brought the Sunrisers Hyderabad back to a comfortable position and a lot of credit can be given to the variations in their pace attack. Against Punjab, Bhuvneshwar Kumar came in for a spell at the death. Before the IPL, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s international career seemed in the balance. A poor showing with no intensity in the previous World Cup put Bhuvneshwar Kumar off the radar a bit, but he has bounced back brilliantly in the ongoing tournament.

With Livingstone and Odean Smith in front of him, Kumar brought out his variations and frustrated Punjab before taking their wickets. His success is even more frustrating considering the pace he bowls. In Umran Malik, the Sunrisers Hyderabad have a bowler who can run in and bowl 150+ with ease. His pace was on display in the previous game as Umran Malik bowled a maiden in the final over.

Against Kolkata, Umran Malik impressed Dale Steyn with a solid yorker, while he also controlled Andre Russell nicely in the death with some sharp deliveries. Facing aggressive batters in both PBKS and KKR allowed Umran Malik to take the advantage in an interesting battle. While his high pace can often be a reason to leak runs, he has shown the impact pace provides when bowled well.

With Umran Malik coming in fast and furious, batters may take things a little easier against the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar who operates slower. By doing so, Kumar often becomes a target in the death overs, but his bag of tricks allows him to find a way past the batters.

While both bowlers are doing a great job, Sunrisers Hyderabad possess another pacer who can take the new ball with ease. In Marco Jansen, the Sunrisers Hyderabad have a tall pacer who can swing the ball and also bowl discomforting lengths. Bowling from 6ft 8 inches, Jansen can get the ball to bounce in odd manners, and can also assist Bhuvneshwar Kumar with his swing, giving the Sunrisers Hyderabad a well-rounded new-ball attack.

See Also: IPL 2022: Match 32, DC vs PBKS Match Prediction – Who will win today’s IPL Match? – Cricket Winner

The final piece in the Sunrisers puzzle is T Natarajan. In the start of the season most eyes were on Umran Malik’s pace and Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s lack of form coming into the tournament. T Natarajan was coming in after missing 2021 due to an injury, but had an incredible 2020. With a lot of attention on the other two pacers, T Natarajan quickly attracted some eyes with his Yorkers. He is their leading wicket-taker this season, and is working nicely as a strike-bowler in the line-up.

T Natarajan isn’t as fast as Umran Malik and doesn’t extract swing like Bhuvi, but is playing a key role in the side. Often coming in towards the end or after the powerplay. Natarajan is used in one over spells, mostly to limit the run scoring. Six games in, Natarajan has already provided some wonderful Yorkers and is working nicely as a bowler who can be relied on when a breakthrough is required.

With Natarajan coming in with his one over spells, the Sunrisers Hyderabad are building a nice four man pace attack. Their bench has some talent as well with Kartik Tyagi in the hut. Tyagi himself can bowl at a high speed, competing with Umran Malik, giving Sunrisers Hyderabad loads of options with the ball.

After a slow start, Hyderabad are finally showcasing their bowling strength and proving that a strong bowling attack can take a team very far. They have won the last four games, but are still pretty silent when it comes to the playoff’s discussion. With intellect and raw pace though, Sunrisers have a ferocious pace attack which can boss most batting line-ups if one of their bowlers get it right.