Rossouw ton sets up comfortable consolation win

Rilee Rossouw scored a brilliant, unbeaten 100 from just 48 balls to lead South Africa to a daunting total of 227-3 and a comfortable victory by 49 runs after being asked to bat first in the third and final T20 International against India at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Tuesday.

India were dismissed for 178 having been reduced to 86-5 and, despite some late order ‘tax-free’ runs from the tailenders, the margin of defeat was reduced without victory ever being in the equation.

Quinton de Kock contributed 68 from just 43 balls as the tourists finally had something to smile about after two resounding defeats in the first two games and David Miller belted three successive sixes in the final over to finish with an astonishing cameo innings of 19 from five balls.

Rossouw was in even more devastating form and took full advantage of the short boundaries in one of India’s smallest stadiums charging to his 50 from a mere 27 balls before seriously off-loading the frustration of two ducks in the opening two games with a flurry of boundaries.

Whether it was straight driving Ashwin, hooking, cover-driving or slog-sweeping the seamers, Rossouw was in his prime and cemented his place as the Proteas’ No 3 for the World Cup.

He was given a life on 24 when Siraj parried a straightforward catch at deep square leg for six off Ashwin, and the batter made the most of his good fortune with some powerful ball-striking that earned him seven fours and a bruising eight sixes.

"(India are) a world class side, I would say, it (the knock) was special," man of the match Rossouw said of his ton against the top-ranked T20 team in the world.

"It is something that you dream of as a cricketer, to score a hundred in front of a packed crowd and I am glad I could contribute for the winning side tonight."

South African ‘keeper De Kock departed after a stand of 90 with Rossouw when he was run out attempting an optimistic second run to Shreyas Iyer but his second successive half-century undoubtedly restored his confidence after 12 innings without a 50.

There was less good news for captain Temba Bavuma (3), however, who toe-ended his eighth ball to midwicket at the start of the fifth over to give him a series return of three runs from 19 balls.

Tristan Stubbs, promoted ahead of Sunday’s centurion Miller, smashed an early six and four but was unable to maintain the momentum against some fine yorker bowling from Siraj and Harshal Patel before miscuing an attempted ramp to short third against Deepak Chahar in the final over to depart for 23 from 18 balls.

India captain Rohit Sharma said bowling remains one of the things to be worked upon before heading into the World Cup Down under.

"Areas of concerns, we have to look at our bowling, what more options we can find in the powerplay, middle and death," said Rohit whose side also beat Australia 2-1 in a three-match T20 series last month.

"We were playing two quality sides, (we) have to go back and see what we can do better. It will be challenging and we need to find answers, still working towards that."

MAN ON A MISSION

India’s run-chase began poorly when skipper Sharma (0) played the second ball from Kagiso Rabada onto his stumps and Shreyas Iyer (1) was trapped lbw by Wayne Parnell.

Rishabh Pant, opening the batting, was a man on a mission with 27 from just 14 balls (3x4, 2x6) before Stubbs took a fine, diving catch at cover off Lungi Ngidi to leave the hosts on 45-3.

Dinesh Karthik continued with Pant’s ‘do-or-die’ approach taking 20 off Ngidi’s first over before he was bowled by Keshav Maharaj attempting a reverse-sweep for 46 from only 21 balls with four fours and a six.

When Suryakumar Yadav (8) departed to another sensational, diving catch by Stubbs on the cover boundary off Keshav Maharaj India were 86-5 and, with a line-up one batter light, the game was effectively over.

Although Rossouw, rightly, claimed the headlines, De Kock finally returning to his fluent best after his workmanlike 69* in the second game was just as important. He whipped a couple of legside sixes off his pads in the second over against Mohammad Siraj to kick-start his innings which also included an audacious reverse-swept six against offspinner R Ashwin.

South Africa made one change from the starting XI which lost the first two games by eight wickets and 16-runs with allrounder Dwaine Pretorius (3-26) replacing fast bowler Anrich Nortje.

INDIA: Temba Bavuma (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), Rilee Rossouw, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Wayne Parnell, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

SOUTH AFRICA: Rohit Sharma (capt), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Suryakumar Yadav,, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj