South Africa vs India, 3rd ODI: Kohli, Chahal, Kuldeep power India to 3-0 lead

Cape Town: Virat Kohli (160 not out) and the wrist-spinning duo of Kuldeep Yadav (4/23) and Yuzvendra Chahal (4/46) starred as India thump South Africa to win the third ODI and take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the six-match series at the Newlands in Cape Town on Wednesday. Chasing 304 runs to win, South Africa were bundled out for 179 runs as India won the third ODI by 124 runs.

Having lost the first two matches without putting up a tough fight, the Proteas were given hopes of reviving the series early on after Kagiso Rabada dismissed Rohit Sharma for nought.

However, it was the partnership between Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan once again that pushed the opposition on the back foot. The duo stitched an instrumental 160-run partnership before JP Duminy got rid of the southpaw.

Despite Kohli continuing to score runs all around the park, the India skipper couldn’t help from losing partners at the other end. The visitors found themselves 6 wickets down, but that did not rattle Kohli, as the right-hander went to bring up his 34th ODI ton.

For the 7th wicket, Kohli struck another crucial fifty-run partnership with Bhuvneshwar Kumar as the Men in Blue finished at 303-6.

While South Africa lost Hashim Amla early, Markram and JP Duminy looked good before the Indian spinners entered the frame. In his first over, Kuldeep dismissed Markram and the likes of Klassen and Duminy followed soon after. Although David Miller and Khaya Zondo managed to survive the Indian spinners' onslaught, Miller was dismissed by Bumrah. Spinners soon took over to run through the South Africa lower order as the hometeam were all out for 179.

South Africa 167/9 from 38.4 overs:

WICKET! Chahal has his 4th. Tahir departs. Kohli is not going to miss out on anything.

South Africa 158/8 from 37.3 overs:

WICKET! Another one. This is not even funny now. Phehlukwayo departs. Kohli catches it. Eight down.

South Africa 150/7 from 36.1 overs:

WICKET! If Kuldeep gets one, Chahal has to. South Africa are 7 down. Manish Pandey takes an easy catch, Zondo departs.

South Africa 150/6 from 35.2 overs:

WICKET! In comes a spinner, out goes the South Africa batsman! Pretty much the pattern of the series. Kuldeep removes Morris. LBW.

South Africa 129/5 from 32.3 overs:

WICKET! It was coming! David Miller dances down the track, he is cramped for room and he has edged it. MS Dhoni is not missing those. Never. South Africa 5 down.

South Africa 122/4 from 30 overs:

South Africa have not lost any wickets in last 8.1 overs but they have not upped the ante either. 20 more overs to go and the hometeam needs 182 runs more to what could be a stunning win!

South Africa 95/4 from 21.5 overs:

WICKET! This is getting too predictable now! JP Duminy falls to the spin magic. It pitched line and hitting leg. Duminy reviews unsuccessfully. Chahal has his second. The South African slide has well and truly begun.

South Africa 88/3 from 19.2 overs:

WICKET! Plumb in front! Heinrich Klaasen has to go. Yuzvendra Chahal has set him up beautifully before doing him in. Klaasen is trapped before the wickets. 2nd wicket of the evening for Indian spinners. First for Chahal.

South Africa 79/2 from 16.2 overs:

WICKET! And that's the first wicket for Indian spinner today. Kuldeep Yadav has struck in his first over as MS Dhoni stumps Aiden Markram. South Africa will hope that this wicket does not begin a slide. Dhoni now has 400 ODI dismissals. First India and fourth overall. Champion stuff!

South Africa 55/1 from 12 overs:

Fifty up for Proteas as Duminy and Markram look solid at the crease. India, meanwhile, have managed to keep things tight. Chahal is introduced into the attack and South Africa have their task cut out.

South Africa 28/1 from 6 overs:

Duminy has played some pretty shots and Markram has started to open his shoulders as South Africa look to up the ante.

South Africa 1/1 from 1.1 overs:

WICKET! OUT LBW! Jasprit Bumrah has struck with his first ball of the evening. Hashim Amla is trapped before the wickets. Big blow for South Africa. Not the start they would have wanted.

Indian innings:

India 303/6 from 50 overs:

Kohli has managed to remain not out as India go past 300. Solid total. Will South Africa manage to win?

India 236-6 from 43 overs:

WICKET! Phehlukwayo has removed Kedar Jadhav. The Indian batsman has made a mess of a hit-me ball and Klaasen is more than happy to catch that. India 6 down.

India 228-5 from 41.3 overs:

WICKET! Imran Tahir dismisses MS Dhoni. Dhoni had to go for a biggie after scoring 10 off 21 balls. He mistimes his shot and Ngidi takes an easy catch at long-on.

India 223-4 from 40 overs:

ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER HUNDRED! Virat Kohli has done it for the second time in this ODI series and for the 34th time in ODIs. He has been absolutely supreme and South Africa have to bear the brunt.

India 188-4 from 32.5 overs:

WICKET! Chris Morris has removed Hardik Pandya. The Indian all-rounder chased a wide delivery as India have lost their fourth wicket. South Africa are making a solid comeback in this match.

India 160-3 from 27.4 overs:

WICKET! Oh Rahane, what have you done! Duminy has struck again. This is turning out to be a good passage of play for South Africa. Rahane dances down the track to take on Duminy and completely miscues his shot and Phehlukwayo takes a fine catch.

India 140-2 from 23.1 overs:

WICKET! How South Africa needed it! JP Duminy has struck as Shilkhar Dhawan departs. Markram takes a fine catch to break the Kohli-Dhawan stand.

India 105-1 from 18 overs:

Dhawan has moved past 50, Kohli has entered 40s and India have moved past 100 as the Delhi duo has brought up a hundred-run stand. South Africa have had their moments but the Indians have managed to throw away their wickets.

India 52-1 from 11 overs:

Fifty up for India and the fifty of the Kohli-Dhawan partnership as well. India are slowly but surely making a move here.

India 28-1 from 6 overs

Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan have taken India back to safety after having lost Rohit Sharma in the first over. The next 10 overs will be crucial, as the duo will hope to build a strong partnership.

India 0-1 from 1 over

WICKET! Kagiso Rabada begins with a wicket maiden as he removes Rohit Sharma.

Toss

Aiden Markram has won the toss and South Africa have elected to bowl in the third ODI against India at Newlands in Cape Town on Wednesday.

While India have retained the same playing XI which powered them to victory in the first two ODIs in Durban and Centurion respectively, South Africa have made a couple of changes to their team.

Quinton de Kock, who got injured in the second ODI before being ruled out of the remainder of the ODI series and three Twenty20s, is replaced by debutant Heinrich Klaasen. Morne Morkel too is not a part of the team and Lungi Ngidi will make his ODI debut.

Andile Phehlukwayo has come in place of Tabraiz Shamsi.

South Africa playing XI: Hashim Amla, Aiden Markram (captain), Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Jean-Paul Duminy, David Miller, Khaya Zondo, Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Lungisani Ngidi, Imran Tahir.

Here is how Virat Kohli's men will lineup.

Preview

After crushing South Africa by nine wickets in the second ODI at SuperSport Park in Centurion, Virat Kohli’s Team India will look to take an unprecedented 3-0 lead when they face a depleted South African team in the third ODI at Newlands here on Wednesday.

The visitors dismantled the Proteas in the first two matches played in Durban and Centurion and would look to continue their form in the third ODI.

The Aiden Markram-led side has been hit by injuries since the start of the ODI series, and the list just increased with important players sitting out due to injury.

AB de Villiers was the first one to be ruled out of the first three ODIs, who was followed by South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis to be sidelined after injuring his finger in the first ODI. The latest player to join the list was wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock, who suffered a wrist injury in the second ODI.

Team India is already oozing with confidence after winning the first two matches. Wrist-spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav have performed exceptionally well on the South African pitches causing maximum damage in both the matches. The young spinners have shared 13 wickets in the first two games helping India to comfortable victories.

South Africa, who so far struggled to contain the Indian spinners, asked for five wrist spinners during the practice session ahead of third ODI, to help them counter the wrist-spin threat.

While South Africa will look to win the match and stay alive in the series, India on the other hand will look to continue their winning momentum.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur.

South Africa: Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungisani Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Khayelihle Zondo, Farhaan Behardien, Heinrich Klaasen (wk).

Where to watch the match live?

Live telecast: The match can be seen live on Sony Ten 1 (English commentary) and Sony Ten 3 (Hindi commentary).

Live streaming: It can also be streamed live on Sony LIV, the digital platform on the internet.

What time will the match start?

The match is scheduled to start at 16.30 pm IST