India complete 2-1 T20I series win over South Africa after narrow seven-run victory
Saturday 24 February 2018 20:44, UK
A disciplined bowling performance helped India seal a seven-run victory over South Africa in the final T20I in Cape Town and complete a 2-1 series win.
It means India remain unbeaten in a fifth successive T20 series, despite the visitors being without captain Virat Kohli who was sidelined with a sore back.
The visitors had posted 172-7 after being put in to bat, with Suresh Raina (43) and Shikhar Dhawan (47) laying the platform.
In response, the Proteas struggled and despite a half-century from JP Duminy (55) and a quick-fire 49 from Christiaan Jonker the home side fell just short of their target.
Playing in just his third T20I, South Africa's Junior Dala starred with the ball and had an immediate impact on the match as he trapped stand-in Indian captain Rohit Sharma lbw for eight.
Raina and Dhawan shared a 65-run second-wicket stand before the former was caught well off Tabraiz Shamsi for 43.
Dala swung the match in the Proteas' favour as he had the dangerous Manish Pandey caught before brilliant running out Dhawan for 47 and dismissing MS Dhoni to take his seventh wicket in the series.
Needing 173 to win, the hosts scrapped to 52-2 off their first 10 overs and although Jonker blazed five fours and two sixes in his 24-ball 49, six of India's seven bowlers took wickets to restrict their opponents to 165-6 and ensure their tour of South Africa ended on a high.
