South Africa vs India, 4th T20I Match Preview, Prediction and Live Streaming

South Africa have a chance to square the series or lose it. There is no better result they can get. However, drawing the series after the way India have played, should be just as good.

Team Overview:

‘Hey, Skip. Look, I get it I have only played four T20I games this year. I know it’s a very crucial game in the context of the series. And trust me, I also know you usually bat at this spot. But how about letting me have a go at first drop in the third T20I?’

More or less, this was what Tilak Varma had asked Suryakumar Yadav in the latter’s hotel room in Gqeberha. While we don’t have access to the thought process that went behind finally taking this decision, Suryakumar allowed Varma to come in at his sought batting spot, probably thinking that he would back off after witnessing first-hand the horrors that this position held. But Tilak Varma ran the entire area of Centurion with this chance and thrashed an unbeaten 56-ball-107 knock. The knock was what propelled India past 200 runs, even after the rest of their batters failed to make any substantial impact.

South Africa, in response, had a tough time believing what Varma had done to them. They were quicker than India to put the runs on the board but eventually fell short of the target by 11 runs. The difference would have been greater had it not been for a late-inning 300 strike-rate fifty off Marco Jansen’s bat. But as they say (or as they should say, as humans we don’t have enough cricket idioms), it takes a ton to undo a ton. The hosts had no one who could stay long enough to create an impact. But more than their batting, South Africa would want to look into where the bowlers have lost their usual menace. One can argue that it is not unusual for Centurion to play host to high-scoring games, but the host bowlers would feel they exceeded some extra runs that stung them later.

Head-to-Head Matches:

This will be the 30th shortest-format game that both India and South Africa have played against each other. In these 30 matches, South Africa have won a dozen and saw India outclass them in seventeen. One game ended in a no result, thanks to Bengaluru’s relentless rain.

Weather and Pitch Report:

Johannesburg has a rain forecast for around the same time as the game but it would just be a passing shower and a full game can be hoped for. The ground, like Centurion, has a flat deck, and quicker outfield, so a high-scoring game is on the cards. Fast bowlers could ride on the generous amount of pace and bounce the surface offers but would need to be careful with the shorter boundaries, as the venue is somewhat lop-sided with one side 10 meter bigger than the other.

Prediction:

India would want to finish off a magnificent year in the format with one final T20I win before they get ready for some serious red-ball business. This should not be too difficult for them to transpire, as both luck and form have been on their side throughout the series.