IND vs SA 3rd T20 match preview, date, time, venue, playing XI, head-to-head stats, and latest updates as India take on South Africa in a crucial T20 encounter.
🎉 IND vs SA 3rd T20: INDIA WINS THE 3RD T20I BY 7 WICKETS! 🎉
India has comfortably defeated South Africa in the 3rd T20I in Dharamsala, taking a crucial 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Here are the final match updates:
🇮🇳 India’s Innings (2nd Innings) – Final Score
| Score | Wickets | Overs | Run Rate |
| 120 | 3 | 15.5 | 7.61 |
| Target: 118 |
- Result: India won by 7 wickets (with 25 balls remaining).
🌟 IND vs SA 3rd T20: Key Batting Performances
India’s openers set up the chase with an explosive start, despite a slight slowdown in the middle.
- Abhishek Sharma: 35 runs off 19 balls (Scored a blistering 35 before getting out)
- Shubman Gill: 28 runs off 28 balls
- Tilak Varma: 26 runs* off 34 balls (Anchored the chase to the finish)
- Shivam Dube: 12 runs* off 5 balls (Finished the match with a massive six and a four)
🇿🇦 South Africa’s Innings (1st Innings) – Final Score
| Score | Wickets | Overs |
| 117 | 10 (All Out) | 20.0 |
🎯 India’s Bowling Performance
The Indian bowlers delivered an outstanding collective performance to restrict South Africa to a low total.
- Arshdeep Singh: 4-0-13-2 (Economical and took key wickets)
- Varun Chakaravarthy: 4-0-11-2 (Highly economical spin spell)
- Kuldeep Yadav: 2-0-12-2 (Wrapped up the tail)
- Harshit Rana: 4-0-34-2
The next match, the 4th T20I, will be played on Tuesday, December 17th, 2025 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.
The 3rd T20I between India and South Africa is currently in progress at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.
Here are the latest updates as of now:
🏏 IND vs SA 3rd T20: Match Status
- Innings Break: The first innings has been completed.
- Target: India is chasing a target of 118 runs to win.
- Series Status: The five-match series is currently tied at 1-1.
🇿🇦 South Africa’s Innings (1st Innings)
- Score: 117 all out in 20 overs.
- Key Performance: South Africa’s innings was built around a fighting half-century from captain Aiden Markram (61 off 46 balls), who provided the lone resistance after a poor start.
- India’s Bowling Attack: The Indian bowlers were dominant, especially early on:
- Arshdeep Singh: 2 wickets for 13 runs (4 overs)
- Harshit Rana: 2 wickets for 34 runs (4 overs)
- Varun Chakaravarthy: 2 wickets for 11 runs (4 overs)
- Kuldeep Yadav: 2 wickets for 12 runs (2 overs)
- Hardik Pandya also took his 100th T20I wicket during his spell.
🇮🇳 India’s Chase (2nd Innings)
- Current Score (As per latest updates): 49/0 (approximately 4 overs)
- Openers: Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill have provided a blazing start to the chase, with Abhishek, in particular, being aggressive.
ℹ️ Pre-Match Notes
- Toss: India won the toss and elected to bowl first.
- Venue: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala.
- Conditions: The match is being played in very cold conditions with the snow-capped mountains in the background.
🏏 Series Decider on a Chilly Evening: India Rock South Africa Early in Dharamsala
The five-match T20I series between India and South Africa is heading into a crucial phase, with the 3rd T20I underway at the scenic Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium (HPCA) in Dharamsala. The series is currently delicately poised at 1-1, after South Africa delivered a commanding performance to level the score in the second match in Mullanpur.
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Latest Update: SA Lose Early Wickets After India Win Toss
The action began with India captain Suryakumar Yadav winning the toss and electing to bowl first on a cold evening in the hills, anticipating heavy dew later in the match. The decision paid immediate dividends as the Indian pacers, led by Arshdeep Singh and debutant Harshit Rana, dismantled South Africa’s top order.
- Arshdeep Singh struck in the very first over, trapping opener Reeza Hendricks (0) leg-before-wicket after setting him up beautifully with swinging deliveries.
- Harshit Rana, replacing Jasprit Bumrah, made a dream start to his international career by removing the dangerous Quinton de Kock (1) LBW in the second over.
At the time of this update, the Proteas are under severe pressure, having lost both their openers cheaply.
📝 IND vs SA 3rd T20: Team News and Key Changes
India made two forced changes to their playing XI:
- Axar Patel missed out due to illness.
- Pacer Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out due to personal reasons, flying home.
The Indian team brought in Kuldeep Yadav to bolster the spin attack and handed a debut to fast bowler Harshit Rana.
India Playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma(w), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy.
🔥 IND vs SA 3rd T20: High Stakes and High Pressure
This match is a significant barometer for both sides, especially for the Indian top order, which has faced scrutiny following the loss in the second T20I.
- Form Concern for India’s Leadership: The form of captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill continues to be a major talking point. Both batters failed to fire in the last match, and a quick turnaround is expected as India’s T20 World Cup preparations intensify.
- The Dharamsala Challenge: Playing in sub-10-degree temperatures with the snow-capped Dhauladhar peaks providing a dramatic backdrop presents a unique challenge. While the pitch is expected to be good for batting, the early swing for the pacers and the later factor of dew influenced the captain’s decision to chase.
- South Africa’s Resilience: Despite the early setbacks tonight, South Africa had shown excellent resilience in the previous match, with a stunning batting display led by Quinton de Kock. They will rely on their middle order, led by Aiden Markram, Dewald Brevis, and Tristan Stubbs, to steady the ship against the relentless Indian pace attack.
A victory here will give either team a crucial 2-1 lead in the series, setting the stage for an exciting finish to the five-match contest.
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