Twenty20: India v South Africa - Fourth T20 Preview

bet365 News Team Published: Jun 16 2022 15:06

India snapped a streak of seven consecutive losses to South Africa in their third T20I and now look to level the five-game series in Rajkot on Friday.

What: India v South Africa

Where: Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot

When: 14:30pm, Friday 17th June 2022

How to watch: Sky Sports Cricket & Sky Sports Mix

Odds: India 4/7, South Africa 11/8

India looking to pull off great escape

After losing their first two T20I matches of the five-game series, India were faced with the prospect of their first bilateral series defeat in almost a year when they faced South Africa in Visakhapatnam.

A 48-run win in that game has given an India side that is missing stars such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul, hope that they can pull off a comeback to win the series.

Rishabh Pant found his experience as India captain difficult but the victory for his side in the third game will have been a weight off his shoulders.

Pant may be thanking Ishan Kishan, who has averaged 54.66 across his three innings in the series, hitting 54 in their third game win.

Seam bowler Harshal Patel impressed with the ball too, registering figures of 4/25, coupled with Yuzvendra Chahal's 3/20.

India are 11/8 to complete the comeback and win the series, while South Africa are priced up at 4/7.

Have South Africa run out of steam?

After strong performances in the first two matches, including their highest-ever T20 run chase of 212 in the first game, South Africa struggled in Visakhapatnam as they were skittled out for just 131.

The Proteas were helped by standout performances from across the side in the first two encounters but that form seemed to desert them in the third.

Their top order struggled in Visakhapatnam with three of the top six out in single-figures and wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen top-scoring with 29.

Klaasen also took home man of the match honours in the second game of the series for his knock of 81 from 46 balls.

Their recent loss brought to an end a run of six T20I wins in a row for South Africa but they still retain a strong recent record, winning 15 of their last 17 matches in the format.

The Proteas are 10/1 to win the T20 World Cup later in the year, while India head the market at 3/1.

However, in this series, Mark Boucher will need more from his top order if they are to pick up a victory in either of the final two games and take home the win.

Return of De Kock a big plus

Boucher's men are set to be boosted by the return of Quinton de Kock from injury for this fourth game, the South African hit 508 runs at an average of 36.29 for Lucknow SuperGiants in the most recent IPL season.

De Kock is also one of only two players to hit a century in a one-day international match at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, 103 in a 50-over clash between these two sides that South Africa won in 2015.

Given the performances of fellow keeper Klaasen it will be interesting to see whether he is retained as a batsman for this game.

Toss may be crucial

Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium is a relatively new stadium, built in 2008, and has not hosted a huge amount of international cricket.

2013 saw the first T20I at the ground and India have played just three 20-over matches there in the ground's short history, winning two.

The surface tends to be batting-friendly and pacers are unlikely to have much to go off, meaning the spinners may come into their own in the middle overs.

196 is the lowest score defended at the ground while 202 was chased down by India in one of those wins.

Both of their victories came when they were chasing a total and South Africa's recent track record also indicates chasing a total in this game is likely to be preferential.

Eight of South Africa's last ten T20Is have been won by the chasing side, one of the exceptions to this rule was their defeat last time out at Visakhapatnam.

South Africa have won all three tosses so far in the series but whichever team gets the flip of the coin to go their way is likely to bowl first.