Abhishek Sharma played a brilliant innings as Indias bowlers tore through South Africas lineup helping India win the third T20I by seven wickets on Sunday and take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Chasing 118 India got off to a flying start. Abhishek (35 off 18) and Shubman Gill (28 off 28) added 60 runs in just over five overs making the target look easy. The first ball of the match went for a six and the pair raced to 32 without loss in the first two overs. Abhishek was eventually caught by Aiden Markram off Corbin Bosch but by then India were in full control. Gill and Tilak Varma (26 not out) then calmly guided India to victory. Gill’s innings while not flashy helped him regain confidence after two quiet games. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav also fell before the end but these were minor setbacks. Earlier Indias pacers dominated the game swinging the ball sharply to bowl South Africa out for just 117. Arshdeep Singh (2/13) Harshit Rana (2/34) and Hardik Pandya (1/23) led the attack. Markram was the only South African to resist with 61 off 46 balls. The early overs were especially brutal for South Africa as Arshdeep trapped Reeza Hendricks lbw Rana removed Quinton de Kock and Dewald Brevis was bowled. South Africa slipped to 7/3 in just over three overs. Pandya took his 100th T20I wicket by dismissing Tristan Stubbs joining Arshdeep and Jasprit Bumrah in the elite list of Indian bowlers to achieve this. Kuldeep Yadav replaced an unwell Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy (2/11) picked up his 50th T20I wicket while cleaning up Donovan Ferreira. Even a drop chance of Ferreira did not hurt India as Chakravarthy dismantled the lower order including Marco Jansen. Markram tried to lift his team with a quick fifty and a six off Rana but South Africa’s late fight came too late to make a difference. India’s bowlers and top-order batters ensured a comfortable win keeping them ahead in the series.