SA 101/2 at stumps, need 111 runs to win vs India

Cape Town, Jan 13 (UNI) South Africa lost openers before reaching 101/2 at stumps on Day 3 of the third and series-deciding Test against India here at Newlands on Thursday.
The hosts need 111 runs to deny India win their first Test series in South Africa.
Chasing a target of 212, South Africa suffered an early blow as Mohammed Shami struck for India. The fast bowler dismissed Aiden Markram for 16. On an outswinger, the right-hander looked to drive but got an edge and KL Rahul caught him at third slip.
Keegan Petersen and Dean Elgar rebuilt the innings and steadied South Africa.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and his teammates got charged up, thinking they had the big fish Elgar out leg-before as the on-field umpire signalled out.
However, Elgar immediately reviewed it. The ball tracking went in favour of the hosts as it showed the ball would have gone over the stumps. Although it looked plumb on first instance, South Africa skipper survived on 22.
Petersen took Shardul Thakur for cleaners, smashing back-to-back boundaries. The over cost India 10 runs. The right-hander gave the same treatment to Ashwin, who also conceded 10 runs.
The South Africans in the middle took the hosts past the 100-run mark, with Petersen playing a beautiful cover drive for two runs off Jasprit Bumrah.
Bumrah finally removed South Africa captain Elgar for 30 on the stroke of stumps. On a full ball, Elgar looked to flick it and wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant caught the ball while diving to his right.
When the on-field umpire signalled not out, India went for a review. The ultra edge showed there was a spike as the ball passed bat, forcing Elgar to walk back in disappointment. The dismissal marked the end of the day’s play, with Petersen unbeaten on 48.
Earlier, swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Pant’s century helped India set a target of 212 at the end of second session. The visitors were bowled out for 198, with Marco Jansen taking four wickets, and Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi picking three each.
Pant and India captain Virat Kohli stitched a 94-run partnership for the fifth wicket. The duo saw off the first session after India lost experienced campaigners Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.
Pujara (9) was sent back to the pavilion, thanks to a superb one-handed catch from a diving Petersen at leg-slip.
Soon, Rabada dismissed Rahane cheaply for one. The ball clipped his glove and flew high towards Kyle Verreynne, who did his best to get a hand on it, but then Elgar took the rebound at first slip.
The on-field umpire didn’t give it and Elgar immediately went upstairs. The ultra edge confirmed that the ball had brushed the glove, reducing India to 58/4.
Wicket-keeper batter Pant took Rabada for cleaners, smashing a couple of boundaries. He started the over with a pull shot which went over square leg and raced away, and then slapped into the gap at cover point to finish off the over.
Kohli and Pant steadied the visitors and took India past the 100-run mark. The duo brought up their 50-run partnership for the fifth wicket before Pant registered his first half-century against South Africa.
However, Kohli could not carry the momentum in the second session. Ngidi tempted Kohli (29 off 143) into a drive but he edged and gave a catch to Markram at second slip.
Ngidi bagged two more wickets – Ashwin and Shardul – in quick succession. While the lone warrior Pant inched closer to his century, he couldn’t find support from the tailenders. Both Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami returned to the pavilion without scoring.
Pant finally achieved the three-digit mark off Jansen as the wicket-keeper batter played one to the leg side. The left-arm fast bowler removed Bumrah, leaving Pant stranded on 100 not out.