India produced a disciplined performance to edge South Africa by seven wickets in a low-scoring Twenty20 clash at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala, on Sunday.
According to details, batting first, South Africa struggled against tight Indian bowling to finish 117 all out in 20 overs. Aiden Markram was the lone bright spot, top-scoring with 61 from 46 deliveries, including six fours and two sixes, at a strike rate of 132.60. Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks were dismissed cheaply, while Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs offered little resistance. Donovan Ferreira added a brisk 20 from 15 balls, but the lower order failed to contribute substantially.
Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy were the most effective Indian bowlers, claiming two wickets apiece. Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya chipped in with one wicket each, restricting the Proteas’ scoring opportunities throughout the innings.
Chasing 118 for victory, India reached the target in 15.5 overs with three wickets down. Abhishek Sharma led the chase with 35 from 18 balls, supported by Shubman Gill, who made 28 from 28 deliveries. Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 26, while Suryakumar Yadav contributed 12 before falling to Lungi Ngidi. Shivam Dube finished 10 not out, guiding India past the total with eight balls to spare.
