Marco Jansen Poses a Fierce Challenge as Tilak Varma Stuns with a Brilliant Century - South Africa vs India 3rd T20I Review

The third match of the series at Centurion turned into an exhilarating run-fest, mirroring the high-octane drama of the second T20I. India, once again, posted a commanding total of over 200, with Tilak Varma leading the charge with a stunning century that anchored their innings. However, South Africa mounted a thrilling chase, with Marco Jansen providing a late surge, blasting a quickfire fifty that brought the target within reach. Despite Jansen’s heroics, India held their nerve in the final stages to defend the total successfully. With the win, India now leads the series 2-1, setting up an exciting finish as both teams look to seize control in the upcoming clashes.

Tilak Varma’s Magnificent Century

South Africa won the toss, and Aiden Markram chose to bowl first on a surface that was expected to remain consistent throughout the entire match. It was a good batting surface, and South Africa made one change to their lineup, with Lutho Sipamla replacing Peter. For India, Ramandeep Singh was handed his debut, taking the place of Avesh Khan.

Both openers, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, entered the crease. Marco Jansen, with the new ball, struck immediately, dismissing Sanju Samson for a two-ball duck. This marked Sanju's second consecutive duck, following two centuries, and he now holds the record for the most ducks (five) in a calendar year for India in T20 internationals. At that point, the score was 0/1, and Tilak Varma walked in at number three. Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma started slowly but accelerated during the powerplay, finishing with an impressive score of 70/1.

Abhishek Sharma reached a well-deserved fifty after a series of low-scoring matches, and the pair put together a hundred-run partnership. Keshav Maharaj then provided South Africa with a much-needed breakthrough by dismissing Abhishek Sharma for 50 off 25 balls. Surya Kumar Yadav came in next but once again failed to make an impact, getting dismissed by Simelane and continuing his underwhelming series.

Hardik Pandya joined Tilak Varma in the middle. Pandya played a slow-paced knock while Tilak Varma began to accelerate, taking full advantage of the bowlers. Unfortunately, India lost Hardik Pandya and Rinku Singh, reducing them to 190/5 in the 17th over. Ramandeep Singh then entered and hit a six to begin his T20I career, becoming the second batter alongside Surya Kumar Yadav to achieve this milestone.

The moment everyone had been waiting for arrived as Tilak Varma reached his well-deserved century. His innings were characterized by patience, aggression, a variety of shots, and an overall well-planned performance at the top of the order. The entire dressing room stood to congratulate Tilak Varma as he raised his bat in celebration. Despite this, South Africa executed some excellent death bowling, especially in the last three overs, as India finished their innings with a solid total of 218/5. Tilak Varma ended with 107 not out off 56 balls, leading India to another 200+ score and being the standout performer of the innings.

Marco Jansen’s Late Surge Almost Snatches Victory for South Africa

With 219 runs set as the target, South Africa's openers, Ryan Rickleton and Reeza Hendricks, walked to the middle. Arshdeep Singh had the new ball, and the start was relatively smooth as both batters took their time. They gradually began to find boundaries during the early stages of the Powerplay. However, both openers lost their wickets, with Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy each claiming one, leaving South Africa at 55/2 by the end of the Powerplay.

Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs then attempted to stabilize the innings but were both dismissed within the first ten overs. At the end of that session, South Africa was 84/4, requiring 135 runs in the last ten overs. Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller were at the crease, with Klaasen, who had struggled throughout the series, starting to find his footing as he worked to reduce the required run rate. Unfortunately, Miller couldn’t make a significant contribution and was dismissed for 18 runs off 18 balls, thanks to an outstanding catch by Axar Patel.

With India in control, Marco Jansen joined Klaasen in the middle. Klaasen aggressively attacked Varun Chakravarthy, hitting him for three consecutive sixes and finishing the over with a total of 23 runs. Despite a fantastic series up to that point, Varun ended his spell with figures of 4/54. Jansen quickly caught fire, carrying the momentum from Klaasen and finding boundaries with ease. 

During this onslaught, Arshdeep Singh managed to dismiss the dangerous Klaasen, who scored 44 runs off 22 balls, temporarily halting South Africa’s progress. However, with 50 runs needed off the last two overs, Jansen took on Hardik Pandya, hammering him for 26 runs in one over, leaving 25 runs to chase in the final over. Jansen continued his aggressive batting, reaching an astonishing fifty in just 15 balls, marking his maiden fifty.

With 19 runs needed off the last four balls, under pressure, Arshdeep Singh delivered a crucial match-winning delivery, dismissing Jansen LBW, which effectively dashed South Africa’s hopes. India triumphed by 11 runs, taking a 2-1 lead in the series. Marco Jansen, with his explosive innings of 54 runs off 17 balls, was the standout performer, positioning himself as a hot prospect for the IPL Mega Auction. Arshdeep Singh was the pick of the bowlers for India, finishing with figures of 3/37 and claiming critical wickets that helped secure the match.

With the series now poised at 2-1 in India’s favor, the stage is set for a thrilling decider in Johannesburg. Both teams have shown their mettle, and the next match promises to be a high-stakes encounter, with South Africa looking to level the series and India aiming to seal the win. Johannesburg, known for its lively pitch and dramatic finishes, will undoubtedly provide the perfect backdrop for what could be an unforgettable showdown. The battle for supremacy is far from over, and all eyes will be on the fourth match to determine who takes the series.