IND vs SA, 3rd T20I: Tilak, Arshdeep show overshadows Klaasen, Jansen efforts as India wins thriller against South Africa

India was sent in to bat and amassed an impressive 219 for six in its 20 overs, boosted by Varma’s maident T20I century and a sprightly 50 from 25 balls by opener Abhishek Sharma.

Tilak Varma of India celebrates after scoring century. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

From 56 balls to help India to an 11-run victory over hosts South Africa at Centurion Park on Wednesday, a game that was stopped for nearly half an hour by flying ants.

India was sent in to bat and amassed an impressive 219 for six in its 20 overs, boosted by Tilak’s maident T20I century and a sprightly 50 from 25 balls by opener Abhishek Sharma.

South Africa was always behind in its chase in the face of some excellent spin bowling from Axar Patel (1-29 in four overs) and the wiles of seamer Arshdeep Singh (3-37), but a late flurry of runs got them close.

It managed 208 for seven in reply and trails India 2-1 in the four-match series with the final game to be played in Johannesburg on Friday.

Check out | IND vs SA, 3rd T20I HIGHLIGHTS

Tilak and Sharma put on 107 from 50 balls for the second wicket to lay the platform for the visitors as South Africa lacked discipline with the ball, conceding 10 wides and three no balls in the innings.

Tilak reached his century from 51 deliveries as he struck eight fours and seven sixes.

The South African reply was an over old when the players were forced from the field for almost 30 minutes by a swarm of flying ants.

When they returned, India’s spinners squeezed the run-rate in the middle overs, though the home side were kept in the contest by Marco Jansen’s career-best 54 from 17 balls and Heinrich Klaasen’s 41 from 22 deliveries.