South Africa vs India, Fourth T20I: Top Picks & Prediction Stream
Crack open the cricket guide, pal, 'cause we're diving headfirst into the fourth T20I showdown between India and South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg! With India stealing a thrilling victory in Centurion, they now reign supreme with a 2-1 series lead, and they've got a chance to wrap up the series with another triumph at the Wanderers. So, let's make a bunch of bets and watch this one play out!
Ain't no rest for the wicked – Venue:The Wanderers Stadium stretches its legs for yet another high-stakes clash, with the South Africans hoping to turn their fortunes around.
Ready, set, bet – Betting Preview:The Proteas continue tumbling down the inconsistency rabbit hole, swinging between Ws and Ls without ever finding their groove. After suffering a crushing 61-run loss in Durban followed by a tight 3-wicket victory in Gqeberha, they blew it in Centurion, skidding to a 17-run defeat.
Aiden Markram took a gamble by having his bowlers take the first crack at India, but Tilak Varma lit up the pitch with a spectacular 107* performance that catapulted his team to a mighty 219/6 – the sixth-highest T20I total on this very ground. Keshav Maharaj (2-36) and Andile Simelane (2-34) nabbed two wickets each, while Marco Jansen (7.00 rpo) proved their most economical bowler. Despite brief sparks of vigor, the Proteas pitching unit struggled to keep India's raucous batting lineup in check.
In the chase, South Africa's top 7 sluggers all managed to get their toes wet, only to fall flat on their faces. Heinrich Klaasen showed a glimmer of life with a rapid 41 off 22 balls, and Jansen nailed his maiden T20I fifty (54 off 16 balls) come the final inning, adding a dash of thrill to an ultimately disappointing effort. The Proteas, now on the brink of seven straight losses in their last nine games, extended their winless bilateral series streak to eight if they take a nose dive on Friday.
For the Indians, Varma's first T20I century and Abhishek Sharma's bounceback (37) set the tone. Their assaultive batting budged the total a meaty 39 runs above the Wanderers' average first-innings score of 180. Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh led the charge with 3-37, while Axar Patel (1-29) toed the line after limited opportunities in the past games. The enigmatic spinner, Varun Chakravarthy, pushed his series tally to 10 wickets but ended up giving away 52 runs in his four overs.
India's health concerns popped up with Varma getting checked for a concussion after a boundary-line scrape and Patel hurting his hand while attempting a field catch. Both managed to shake off the pain and soldier on for the next match.
South Africa might be bubbling with enthusiasm to nab a comeback win, but the Indians are likely to keep a strong grip on things in the final T20I. Put your money on the blue brigade at 1.68 odds.
Eyes on em – Players to Watch:Much like a broken record, it seems both David Miller and Suryakumar Yadav are having a terrible run in this series. Miller, a veteran with 128 T20I matches under his belt and a lofty overall average of 32.53, has been limping along, only managing a wretched 36 runs (12 average) with a top score of 18. Yadav, India's captain, has been going through the motions as well, totaling just 26 runs (8.66 average) with a top score of 21.
Key Stats:Six of the last eight T20I games played at this very ground were won by the team batting first.
Varun Chakravarthy has dismissed Reeza Hendricks twice in this series for a scanty five runs.
The last time these two teams clashed at the Wanderers in December 2023, India took home a resounding 106-run victory. Suryakumar Yadav bashed a century, and India set a mammoth 201, then India's bowlers ran roughshod over South Africa, routing them for 95 with Kuldeep Yadav racking up a five-wicket haul.
Arshdeep Singh has nagged the opposing batsmen with his left-arm pitching in each of his last eight innings, taking wickets.
Best Bets:*Prediction: India to win at 1.68.*
*Best Bet: Highest individual score to top 71.5 at 1.86.*
*Alternative Bet: Varun Chakravarthy to be India's top bowler at 3.50.*
- The Wanderers Stadium readies itself for another high-stakes cricket match, as South Africa seeks to reverse their fortune amidst India's series lead.
- In the upcoming T20I game, India's batters might outshine their South African counterparts, with the average first-innings score at the Wanderers being 180, a figure that India's assaultive batting lineup may surpass by a significant margin.
- Amidst the consistently inconsistent performances of South Africa's bowling unit, left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh has been a notable exception, taking wickets in each of his last eight innings.
- As the series nears its conclusion, both David Miller and Suryakumar Yadav have struggled to perform, with Miller totaling just 36 runs and Yadav managing 26 runs.
- The Indian spinner, Varun Chakravarthy, has shown a particular knack for dismissing Reeza Hendricks, continuing this pattern in the remaining T20I.
