Under the chilly floodlights of Dharamsala, India delivered a commanding performance to outplay South Africa by seven wickets in the third Twenty20 international on Sunday, December 14, 2025. The victory gives India a crucial 2-1 lead in the five-match series, setting the stage for an exciting finish as both teams prepare for the rapidly approaching T20 World Cup.
India’s bowlers, led by the electric Arshdeep Singh and the emerging Harshit Rana, set the tone early. South Africa, put into bat after India skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and opted to bowl, found themselves in immediate trouble. The Proteas slumped to a precarious 7-3 within the first 3.1 overs, echoing the ghosts of their series-opening collapse where they managed only 74 runs—their lowest T20 total ever.
This time, South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram stood tall amid the ruins. With the scoreboard looking grim, Markram played a captain’s knock, scoring a valiant 61 off 46 balls, laced with two sixes and six fours. His innings not only spared his side from another unwanted record but also injected some respectability into the total. Markram’s resistance was finally broken when he edged a fuller delivery from Arshdeep Singh, who finished with impressive figures of 2 for 13 from his four overs. Kuldeep Yadav, playing in place of the unwell Axar Patel, also made his presence felt, picking up 2 for 12 in just two overs, including the wicket of Ottneil Baartman on the last ball of the innings.
Harshit Rana, stepping into the shoes of Jasprit Bumrah—who missed the match for personal reasons—delivered under pressure, bagging 2 for 34. “Jasprit Bumrah has gone back home for personal reasons and will be unavailable for the game. An update on him joining the squad for the remaining matches will be provided in due course,” read a BCCI press release before the match. Hardik Pandya chipped in as well, claiming 1 for 23 and, in the process, achieving a remarkable milestone: he became the first seamer in T20 international history to take 100 wickets and score over 1,000 runs. According to the match broadcast, “Hardik has become the first seamer to claim 100 wickets and score 1,000 or more runs in T20Is.”
Despite Markram’s best efforts, South Africa could only manage 117 all out in their allotted 20 overs. The Indian pacers, exploiting the helpful conditions, maintained relentless pressure, with early wickets from Arshdeep and Rana dismantling the Proteas’ top order. Quinton de Kock, the star of the previous match, was trapped LBW by Rana for just 1, while Reeza Hendricks fell to Arshdeep’s swing for a duck. Dewald Brevis and Donovan Ferreira offered little resistance, falling cheaply as well.
When India’s turn to bat arrived, the hosts wasted no time in asserting their dominance. Openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill came out all guns blazing, racing to 43 without loss in just over three overs—the same stage at which South Africa had been reeling at 7-3. Sharma, in particular, was in a hurry, smashing a six off the very first ball he faced from Lungi Ngidi and following it up with a flurry of boundaries. He eventually fell for a brisk 35 off 18 balls, caught by Markram off Corbin Bosch, but not before putting India firmly in control.
Gill, looking to cement his place ahead of the T20 World Cup, played a measured knock of 28 before chopping a delivery from Marco Jansen onto his stumps. The pair’s 60-run opening stand meant the chase was always in hand. Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian captain, managed just 12 before being caught by Baartman off Ngidi, continuing a lean patch that has now stretched to 20 innings without a T20I fifty.
With the top order back in the dugout, Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube ensured there were no last-minute hiccups. Varma, unbeaten on 26, and Dube, with 10 not out, calmly steered India to 120 for 3 in 15.5 overs. Dube finished the match with a flourish, smashing a six and a four off Baartman to seal the win with 25 balls to spare. The run chase, described as a “paltry target of 118 set by the visitors” by television commentators, was never really in doubt.
South Africa’s bowlers, despite flashes of promise from Ngidi (1 for 23) and Bosch (1 for 29), struggled to make significant inroads. The dew, which had been a talking point at the toss, did little to help their cause as the Indian batters found the conditions increasingly favorable.
This result adds another twist to what has been an unpredictable series. After India’s crushing 101-run win in the opener, South Africa bounced back in the second T20 with a comprehensive 51-run victory. With India now ahead 2-1, the fourth match in Lucknow on Wednesday, December 17, promises high stakes and no shortage of drama as both teams fine-tune their combinations ahead of February’s T20 World Cup on Indian soil.
The broader context of this series can’t be ignored. India, the defending T20 world champions after edging out South Africa in a thrilling 2024 final, are using these matches to finalize their squad and strategies. South Africa, for their part, will be desperate to regroup after this setback, having already lost the ODI series 2-1 but clinched the earlier test series 2-0.
There were a few storylines bubbling beneath the surface as well. The absence of Jasprit Bumrah forced India to test their bench strength, and Harshit Rana’s performance will give the selectors plenty to ponder. For South Africa, Markram’s fighting fifty was a rare bright spot in a batting lineup that looked short on answers against India’s pace and spin. The Proteas will be looking for their middle order to step up in the remaining matches if they hope to salvage the series.
As the teams now turn their attention to Lucknow, all eyes will be on the playing conditions, possible squad changes, and the ongoing form of key players. With the T20 World Cup looming, every match, every run, and every wicket counts just that little bit more. The series is far from over, and if the first three matches are anything to go by, cricket fans are in for a treat.
India’s convincing win in Dharamsala not only puts them in the driver’s seat for the series but also sends a clear message ahead of the World Cup: this is a team with depth, resilience, and a hunger for big-stage glory. South Africa, meanwhile, will need to dig deep and find answers fast if they are to turn the tide in the remaining contests.
