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    • SA vs IND 2024/25, SA vs IND 4th T20I match preview
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    SA vs IND 2024/25, SA vs IND 4th T20I match preview

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    Big picture: The year India embraced T20

    In a volatile, unpredictable format, India has had perhaps the best year for any team. In 2024, they won 23 of their 25 T20Is. It was also the year they really embraced the format and shed their safety-oriented approach with the bat. attacking, modern T20 cricket.

    The results couldn’t have been better. They have whitewashed Afghanistan and Bangladesh at home and done the same to Sri Lanka elsewhere. In between, their second series team won 4-1 in Zimbabwe. But that all pales in comparison to their unbeaten run to win the T20 World Cup in June.

    Friday’s T20I in Johannesburg will be their last outing in this format this year. After taking an unassailable 2-1 lead in the four-match series, they will be keen to strike another positive note.

    Until they met India in the final in Barbados, South Africa also remained undefeated in the T20 World Cup. But on both sides of the tournament their performances were disappointing. It could be argued that they were almost always missing one or more of their first-choice players, but the same could be said of their opponents.

    Even if they win on Friday, South Africa’s winless streak in the bilateral T20I series will stand at eight. Still, 2-2 is much better than 3-1.

    Form guide

    South Africa LWLLW (last five T20Is, most recent first)

    India WLWWW

    In the spotlight: Marco Jansen and Abhishek Sharma

    Marco Jansen makes his comeback after a shoulder problem and is the player of the series in South Africa. He may have only collected three wickets, but his economy of 6.41 is the best for any bowler in the series. The fact that India twice recorded a total of more than 200 in three matches makes Jansen’s performance even more impressive. He is also the leading run-getter for South Africa with 73 runs at a strike rate of 208.57. In Centurion, he almost set up an impossible-looking chase with his 16-ball half-century, the second fastest for South Africa in the format.

    Having not crossed 20 in his last seven T20I innings, Abhishek Sharma was under pressure going into the third T20I. At times he had looked out of his depth, especially against the hard lengths, and it seemed as if he had only one gear. But at Centurion, his shot selection was much better as he scored a 25-ball 50, which set the platform for a big total. With Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill ahead of him in the pecking order, he will be aware that he cannot relax after just one good innings.

    Team news: Peter coming back?

    South Africa could consider bringing back local legspinner Nqabayomzi Peter for Gerald Coetzee.

    South Africa (probable): 1 Ryan Rickelton, 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markram (capt), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Gerald Coetzee/Nqabayomzi Peter, 9 Andile Simelane, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 Lutho Sipamla

    With Ramandeep Singh showing his worth with the bat in Centurion, India will be reluctant to make any changes.

    India (probable): 1 Sanju Samson (wk), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (captain), 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Ramandeep Singh, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Varun Chakravarthy

    Location and conditions: Rain can delay the start

    Johannesburg is traditionally a high-scoring location. The last time they hosted a T20I, in December 2023, India rode on Suryakumar Yadav’s hundred to post 201 for 7. South Africa were bowled out in response for just 95, with Kuldeep Yadav taking five wickets. A shower is forecast around 4pm local time, half an hour before the toss. But the expectation is that it will be short and we should get a full match.

    Stats and trivia: Arshdeep closes in on Chahal

    • In 2024, India has crossed the 200 mark eight times – the most by any team in a single year.
    • Arshdeep Singh needs five more wickets to surpass Yuzvendra Chahal as India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is.
    • This year, Aiden Markram has 241 runs in 17 T20Is at an average of 16.06 and a strike rate of 120.50. The last time he scored a half-century in this format was 28 innings ago.
    • Tilak Varma’s 107 not out in Centurion was the 21st T20I hundred by an Indian batsman. New Zealand (12) and Australia (11) are the only other teams with ten or more T20I tons.

    Hemant Brar is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

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