IND vs SA, 3rd T20I: HPCA Stadium pitch report, conditions
What's the story
Dharamsala's picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium will host the 3rd T20I between India and South Africa on Sunday. After a resounding 101-run win in the opener, India suffered a defeat by 51 runs in Mullanpur. The Proteas will fancy their chances in Dharamsala, where the pitch is known to aid pacers with bounce and carry throughout the match.
Game dynamics
Pitch report and conditions
Unlike most Indian grounds, the HPCA Stadium has been a rather bowling-friendly venue, known for providing decent bounce and carry. Fast bowlers can expect some movement off the early deliveries before spinners start to get some assistance as the game progresses. The dew factor is likely to play a crucial role in this match, making things tougher for the team bowling second. Moreover, the weather in Dharamsala is expected to be cold.
Key numbers
India own a 2-1 win-loss record at this venue
As per ESPNcricinfo, Team India has played three T20Is in Dharamsala, winning two and losing one. Notably, India and South Africa will meet each other here for the second time. Back in 2015, the Proteas sealed a seven-wicket win. It was the first T20I match to be played at this venue. India's two wins here have come against Sri Lanka in 2022.
Team line-ups
Here are the likely XIs
India likely XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, and Arshdeep Singh. South Africa likely XI: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Aiden Markram (captain), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, and Ottneil Baartman.