Batting collapse derails momentum middle-order

ABHISHEK Sharma blitzed India to a dominant victory yesterday over South Africa in the third T201 in Dharamsala, giving the hosts an important series lead with two matches remaining.

- ONGAMA GCWABE

Sharma smashed three sixes and three fours off just 18 deliveries, sharing a 60-run opening partnership with Shub-man Gill (28) to lay the foundation for India’s chase of 118. Tilak Varma guided India home with an unbeaten 26 off 34 balls, while Shivam Dube (10 not out) struck the winning runs, sealing the comprehensive win.

It was an emphatic victory after India lost the second T20 last week Friday by 51 runs, after a stellar batting performance by the Proteas ~ a performance the South Africans could not replicate yesterday. “Sport teaches you a lot of things, how you come back is more important,” said India skipper Suryakumar Yadav after the win in Dharamsala. “There was a lot of learning after last game in the meeting and then we did what we did in Cuttack”