India’s tour of South Africa will end where it began on a disappointing note with a 72-run defeat in the first Test. The visitor has a chance to win the tour honours and thereby gain a real sense of accomplishment. The host, on the other hand, has had a boost of confidence following a six-wicket, series-levelling win in Centurion, making the third T20 International a winner-takes-all match.
Read: Resurgent host awaits India in tour finale
Going into the final T20I, a look at the key statistics:
India unbeaten in four
India is unbeaten in four T20I series (including one-off contests) and this is its longest streak in the shortest format. A win tomorrow will extend the already unprecedented run of four to five.
A record to rectify
South Africa has a poor record at the Newlands in Cape Town, winning just three of its eight matches (a win percentage of 37.50). It has, in fact, won only one of its last six T20Is here, since 2011. And if this series, which is up for grabs, must be won, the Proteas must improve on its overall and recent record here.
India’s unbeaten run in finals
India is unbeaten in series and tournament (Asia Cup) finals since July 2015, when an Ajinkya Rahane-led team lost to Zimbabwe and drew a two-match T20I series 1-1. India has won the final match seven times and had three no results since.
Wait extends to a third match
For Virat Kohli, that is. He began this series needing 44 runs to reach 2000 T20I runs. He made 26 in the first match and was dismissed for 1 in the second Twenty20 in Centurion, leaving him needing 17 runs to join the club of Martin Guptill (2271) and Brendon McCullum (2140), who are the only batsmen to date to have 2000 runs in the shortest format.
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