India and South Africa enter the third T20I of their series locked at 1-1, treating this Dharamsala showdown as vital preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup. India crushed the opener by 101 runs, driven by Hardik Pandya‘s all-round dominance, but South Africa hit back in the second with a 51-run victory fueled by Quinton de Kock‘s explosive 90. Both sides have tested bold experiments—India promoting Axar Patel up the order and trialing Jitesh Sharma lower down—yielding mixed outcomes amid Suryakumar Yadav‘s lean patch of eight single-digit T20I scores this year.
India grapples with lineup tweaks, possibly reinstating Sanju Samson or leaning on spinners like Varun Chakaravarthy despite the venue’s pace-friendly traits, while Pandya nears 100 T20I wickets. South Africa builds on De Kock’s revival but seeks lower-order muscle and pace clarity, with Aiden Markram prioritizing World Cup-ready rotations. Key quotes underscore mindset shifts: India’s assistant coach urging Shubman Gill to play freely like in IPL, and Markram stressing the best XI for the mega event.
Top-order clashes pit Abhishek Sharma‘s aggression against Marco Jansen‘s bounce, while middle-overs battles feature Jasprit Bumrah‘s control versus David Miller‘s finishing power and Dewald Brevis nearing 100 T20 sixes this year. Both captains sweat combinations in these pre-World Cup games, hoping Dharamsala yields sharper insights without drastic overhauls.
IND vs SA, 3rd T20I: Match Details
| Detail | Information |
| Date and Time | December 14; 7:00 pm IST / 1:30 pm GMT |
| Venue | Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala |
| Head-to-Head Record (T20Is) | India holds a strong advantage, winning 19 of the 32 matches played, with South Africa securing 13 victories (NR: 1) |
HPCA Stadium Pitch Report
The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala presents a high-altitude venue with lively bounce and true carry, favoring pace bowlers in the powerplay due to cooler December air and elevation effects. Recent IPL encounters here have produced high-scoring thrillers, with teams regularly surpassing 180 runs, and four of five matches since the last T20I in 2022 won by sides batting first. Expect a flat track rewarding aggressive strokeplay mid-innings, though evening dew could ease chasing—making the toss pivotal. Spinners may find grip early but struggle later, tilting conditions toward a 170-190 par score.
IND vs SA, 3rd T20I: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- India wins the toss and bats first
- India powerplay score: 60-70
- India total score: 210-220
Case 2:
- South Africa wins the toss and bats first
- South Africa powerplay score: 50-60
- South Africa total score: 200-210
Match result: Team batting first to win the contest
