Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Thanks to a series-levelling win, the Bengaluru game will be a decider. The scarcity of 5-match bilaterals in T20s gives this series some sheen. Good performances have come from different players, there have been one-siders and close finishes. Let's hope the final game zigzags to an exciting end. We'll see you then. For now, it's goodbye from me, Ekanth, my fellow commentator, Deivarayan Muthu, and our scorer, Chandan Duorah.

Dinesh Karthik: POTM for 55 (27): Just feels good, I'm getting used to being interviewed with people I played with (he says as he speaks to Murali Kartik). I'm very secure in this set up. In the last game, things didn't go well but I felt safe after going back to the dressing room. I am thinking a bit better and am able to assess situations better. That comes from planning and experience. They bowled brilliantly up front, our openers could not get going. When I went in, Hardik told me to bide time. To execute things well is great. To go and be a local boy in Bengaluru, despite not representing RCB, is a thrill. The series is on the line which is great. Rahul Dravid has focused on what batters and bowlers need to do and not the results, the dressing room is secure and feels fuzzy which is good. That clarity and environment has helped.

Rishabh Pant: India Captain: We talked about execution and here are the results! We can talk about toss but whichever team plays better generally wins. Really happy with Hardik putting up a stand while DK went for the kill, that's when the bowlers felt the pressure. As an individual, there are points for improvement but am not too concerned.

Keshav Maharaj comes in on behalf of Temba Bavuma: We thought we got better in the back of the innings but our performance with the ball was bad up top. Maybe it was a lack of proactivity we need to address. We never got going with the bat, there were no foundational partnerships and their bowlers were good. DK played really well. I am bowling well, hope to continue. We expect it to be a cracker in Bengaluru.

Neil: "If Sun. match is a washout, and winner is determined by NRR, India should win the series after today's performance." Series is shared but anything apart from boundary count is fine.

Nithin: "Avesh vs DK for MVP ?" It's DK.

Jai: "Whats the weather forecast for Bengaluru on Sunday? Whats the scenario if there is a washout?" There's no point predicting Bengaluru's weather.

Shreyas HM: "South Africa have managed to get their highest and lowest team totals vs India in this series."

As Firdose notifies, 87 is SA's lowest T20I score.

Avesh Khan 4 for 18: I'm happy. It's my dad's birthday and I'd like to dedicate it to him. The plan was to bowl straight and stump-to-stump. After getting Rassie, I sent back fine leg. I followed Rishabh's word by going with the cutter after a hard length ball. A slower one foxed Maharaj. Our fielding and bowling are coming good and improving will be our aim for the next game. It's set up well and we'll give it 100%.

10:24 pm: The fireworks are on, so is Vande Matharam which the crowd enjoys as the players shake hands. While this was a clinical bowling performance, it was DK's innings that set it up. As an earlier commentor said, the innings underscored the difficulty of batting on this pitch. This innings never got going as wickets were frequent. Avesh Khan was the pick of the bowlers. Every other bowler was good on a tricky pitch.

16.5
W
AR Patel to Ngidi, OUT, Taken at long-on! That's the end as the players shake hands, Bavuma will not return. It was a fullish ball that was tossed up invitingly, it was lofted straight and the connection was not good enough. Long-on took it easily.

L Ngidi c Gaikwad b AR Patel 4 (10m 10b 0x4 0x6) SR: 40.00

16.4
0
AR Patel to Ngidi, no run, Fullish ball on the stumps is pushed to the bowler

South Africa 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st20T BavumaQ de Kock
1st4D PretoriusQ de Kock
2nd2D PretoriusHE van der Dussen
3rd19HE van der DussenH Klaasen
4th14DA MillerHE van der Dussen
5th15HE van der DussenM Jansen
6th0KA MaharajM Jansen
7th4KA MaharajA Nortje
8th2A NortjeL Ngidi
9th7T ShamsiL Ngidi