Suryakumar Yadav, on Thursday (December 14), led Team India from the front as they thrashed South Africa by 106 runs in the third and final T20I to tie the three-match series.
After the first game was washed out, India lost the second by 5 wickets (DLS method) and needed to win the third game at all costs to avoid a series defeat. The captain rose to the occasion and scored a sensational century. Asked to bat first, India got off to a poor start once again as Shubman Gill (8) and Tilak Varma (0) failed to get going.
However, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Suryakumar Yadav did not allow South Africa to make any further progress as they shared a 112-run stand for the third wicket to put India in a commanding position. Tabraiz Shamsi broke the stand when he dismissed Jaiswal for 60.
Suryakumar Yadav, however, held firm in his final over and completed another century in the shortest format of the game. He scored 100 runs off 56 balls before being dismissed by Lizaad Williams. His impressive knock was studded with 7 fours and 8 sixes. Thanks to his knock, India posted a massive total of 201 for 7 in the allotted 20 overs.
In response, South Africa were bowled out for a paltry total of 95 runs in 14 overs. The Proteas never seemed to compete for the huge total as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals from the start. Kuldeep Yadav starred for India, taking 5 wickets for just 17 runs, while Ravindra Jadeja took 2 wickets.
Suryakumar Yadav’s historic century:
In the match-winning century, Suryakumar Yadav equaled Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell’s record of most centuries in T20Is. He now has four centuries in the shortest format of the game. All four of his centuries have come in the last two years and he remains one of the best T20I batsmen in the world. He now he has a T20I century in England, New Zealand, India and now South Africa.
Players with most centuries in T20Is:
4- Suryakumar Yadav
4-Rohit Sharma
4-Glenn Maxwell
3- Babar Azam
3- Sabawoon Davizi
3-Colin Munro
