3rd T20I, India overcome South Africa in Dharamsala: Key stats
What's the story
The Indian cricket team beat South Africa by 7 wickets in the 3rd T20I of the 5-match series in Dharamsala on Sunday. A brilliant bowling effort helped India bundle the Proteas out for 117 runs in 20 overs. Aiden Markram was the lone warrior for his side. In response, India got the job done (120/3) in 15.5 overs. Here's more.
Summary
Summary of the contest
The Proteas were jolted from the start and it was Markram's 61 that helped them get past the 100-run mark. For India, pacers Arshdeep Singh and Harhit Rana set the tone in the powerplay. Thereafter, Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav did well. Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya picked one wicket each. Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill and Tilak Varma chipped in with the bat thereafter.
Arshdeep
Arshdeep Singh surpasses Bhuvneshwar Kumar with this T20I record
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep became the highest wicket-taker in the powerplay overs (1-6) for the Indian cricket team in T20Is. Arshdeep (48) went past Bhuvneshwar Kumar's tally of 47 powerplay wickets for India in T20Is. Arshdeep now owns 48 powerplay wickets from 68 innings at 20.08, as per ESPNcricinfo. Bhuvneshwar picked 47 wickets from 83 innings at 22.02. Arshdeep finished with 2/13 in this contest.
Varun
Varun Chakravarthy becomes second-fastest Indian to 50 T20I wickets
Spinner Chakravarthy (2/11) reached the landmark of 50 wickets in T20I cricket. Chakravarthy became the second-fastest Indian to 50 T20I wickets. He completed 50 T20I wickets in his 32nd match. He surpassed Arshdeep and Ravi Bishnoi, who attained the feat in 33 T20Is. Chakravarthy is now only behind spinner Kuldeep, who took 30 matches for the milestone. Chakravarthy owns 51 wickets at 15.
Pandya
Hardik Pandya completes 100 T20I wickets, attains this double
Star all-rounder Pandya became the third Indian to complete 100 wickets in T20Is after Arshdeep and Jasprit Bumrah. The right-arm pacer took 1/23 from three overs. With this, Pandya has also become the first Indian with the T20I double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets. Playing his 123rd T20I match, Pandya owns 100 wickets at an average of 26.78.
Markram
Markram smashes half-century versus India, surpasses 5,000 T20 runs
Markram (61) hit a superb fifty for the Proteas. With his 7th run of the contest, he completed 5,000 T20 runs. Markram's knock consisted of six fours and two sixes. He owns 1,571 runs at 29.64. This was his 10th fifty in T20Is. Overall in T20s, Markram has amassed 5,054 runs from 205 matches at 30.81 (50s: 33, 100s: 1).
Kuldeep
Kuldeep Yadav shines in his 50th T20I outing for India
Kuldeep did well in his 50th T20I outing for India. The spinner picked 2/12 from 2 overs. After 50 games, Kuldeep owns 90 T20I scalps at 13.17. He is now the 6th Indian bowler to claim 90-plus T20I wickets. Versus the Proteas, he has 8 wickets from 4 games at an impressive 12.50.
Abhishek
Abhishek Sharma completes 300 sixes in T20 cricket
Indian opener Abhishek attained a mega milestone in T20s, completing 300 sixes. He got to the landmark with his third six. Abhishek scored a whirlwind 35-run knock from just 18 balls. He smashed three fours and three sixes, striking at 194.44. Playing his 167th T20 (163 innings), Abhishek has hit 300 sixes. The southpaw has scored 4,884 runs at 33.22 (50s: 28, 100s:
Varma
Tilak Varma completes 4,000 runs in T20s
Varma scored an unbeaten 25 from 34 balls, seeing India home. With this 7th run in the contest, Varma reached the landmark of 4,000 runs in T20 cricket. He completed 4,000 T20 runs in his 133rd match (125 innings). After 133 games, he has scored 4,019 runs at 43.21. As per Cricbuzz, he became the 3rd-fastest Indian to complete 4,000 T20 runs (by innings).
SKY
Suryakumar Yadav averages 14.20 in T20Is this year
India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav continued to fail this year. The senior cricketer perished for a paltry score of 12 runs off 11 balls. His scores in this series are 12, 5 and 12. Playing his 20th T20I this year (18 innings), Suryakumar has scored 213 runs at 14.20. His strike rate is 125.29. He is yet to hit a 50-plus score (HS: 47*).
Records
More worrisome records for SKY
As per Cricbuzz, SKY has recorded the 2nd-lowest batting average as captain in a T20I calendar year (min 200 runs). Clinton Rubagumya of Rwanda owned an average of 12.52 in 2022. SKY is next with 14.20. SKY also owns the 2nd-lowest batting average by an Indian (min 10 matches) in a calendar year after Axar Patel's 11.62 in 2022.