India vs South Africa 5th T20I: Will rain play spoilsport in the final series decider?

 After being down by 2-0, the hosts made a terrific comeback to level the series and make it to the final match decider for the series. In the previous clash, Men in blue posted a target of 170 after witnessing some power-hitting displays from Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik. Following this, the bowlers stepped up to bundle the visitors for just 87 and win the match comfortably. In the first two matches, bowlers like Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel and Avesh Khan were not clicking well with the ball; however, they returned to their best in the last two matches. The batting line-up looks a little inconsistent. Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya are performing well, and Dinesh Karthik is proving that age is just a number. Whereas Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant are yet to display their best. With all eyes on them, especially Rishabh Pant, they will look to have some runs under their belt.

India hasn’t made a single change in playing XI in the last four matches, and we can also expect to see the same combination in the decider. 

On the other hand, South Africa has blown hot and cold in the series. They started the series with complete dominance on-field but soon looked to lose the plot. They chased the target successfully in the first two games but struggled to do so in the next two matches. SA problem increased as the team was hit with injuries. Kagiso Rabada and Wayne Parnell missed out on the previous game due to injuries. Skipper Temba Bavuma also injured his left elbow and was forced to retire, making his presence in the final decider doubtful. The return of Quinton de Kock to the playing XI will be quite a relief for visitors, and they will be expecting a good start from the batter. Their bowlers have troubled India batters time and over but leaked runs in slog overs, leading to the game slipping away from their hands. They will have to be clinical with the bowling throughout

Pitch Report

Chinnaswamy Stadium is known for its small boundaries and flat pitch. After the pandemic, it will be the first white-ball match at the venue. The ground has a wet build-up with drizzles on Saturday. With a 70% chance of rain on the match-day, the weather might likely play a spoilsport in the series decider.

Stats to keep an eye on

• The average first-innings score at Chinnaswamy Stadium in T20Is is 155.
• India and South Africa clashed for the last T20I at the venue in 2019, when Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma remained unbeaten to chase the target of 135.
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar has bowled 54 deliveries in the four matches of this series, conceded 32 runs and taken four wickets at an economy rate of 3.55.

With a heavy chance of rain in the match, let’s hope it stays away and we enjoy the thriller of a complete game. India will be eager to break the record of not winning a series against South Africa at home since 2015 by winning this one. It will surely be a cracking contest.