(Image source from: Twitter.com/BCCI)
Following a 1-1 draw in the T20I series, the Indian team led by KL Rahul emerged victorious in the ODI series with a 2-1 win over the Proteas. The decisive third ODI, held on 22 December at Paarl, saw India triumph with a convincing 78-run lead.
In pursuit of a target of 297 runs, the Proteas faltered and lost all their wickets in the 45.5th over. Tony de Zorzi was the top scorer for South Africa with 81 runs, while Aiden Markram contributed 36 crucial runs. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to shine in the third match.
On the Indian side, Arshdeep Singh stood out with four wickets, supported by Avesh Khan and Washington Sundar who each claimed two wickets. Mukesh Kumar and Axar Patel also chipped in with one wicket each.
Arshdeep Singh was awarded the Player of the Match for his outstanding performance throughout the series, securing a total of 10 wickets. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson was named the Player of the Match for his impressive knock of 108 runs off 114 balls.
Samson's brilliant century guided India to a total of 296 for eight in the decisive third and final ODI against South Africa. Despite losing both openers early, Samson's maiden ODI hundred, along with Tilak Varma's contribution of 52 runs off 77 balls, propelled India's innings forward.
South Africa's bowlers put on a commendable performance, with Beuran Hendricks leading the way by taking 3 wickets for 63 runs. Nandre Burger also made a valuable contribution by accounting for 2 wickets, giving the team a strong start in the third and final ODI against India.
Having won the toss, South Africa elected to bowl first. Meanwhile, India made a few changes to their lineup. Rajat Patidar made his ODI debut, replacing Ruturaj Gaikwad who had suffered a finger injury in the previous match. Gaikwad's recovery was being monitored by the BCCI Medical Team.
In addition, Washington Sundar was included in the playing eleven, taking the place of Kuldeep Yadav. This alteration aimed to strengthen India's bowling attack.
During India's innings, Sanju Samson played an outstanding innings, scoring an impressive 108 runs off 114 balls. Tilak Varma provided valuable support with a half-century, while Rinku Singh contributed 38 runs. These performances helped India reach a total of 296/8 in their allotted 50 overs.
South Africa's bowlers had a mixed bag of results. Beuran Hendricks continued his impressive form by taking 3 wickets, while Nandre Burger claimed 2 wickets. Lizaad Williams, Wiaan Mulder, and Keshav Maharaj also contributed by taking 1 wicket each.
