Ismail five-for keeps South Africa alive in series
Having lost the two previous matches in the series, this was a must-win game for South Africa and they came out on top in an enthralling contest largely thanks to the seamer Shabnim Ismail, who took her first T20I five-wicket haul.
Ismail's figures of 5/30 were the second-best by a South African in the format – behind Sune Luus' 5/8 against Ireland in 2016 – and helped restrict India to 133 all out, a target the hosts chased down with six balls to spare.
After Dane van Niekerk had won the toss and elected to field first, South Africa made the perfect start as the dangerous Mithali Raj edged an outswinger from Marizanne Kapp into the gloves of Lizelle Lee for a five-ball duck. It brought Raj's run of four successive half-centuries to an end but India recovered quickly, with Smriti Mandhana (37) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (48) putting on 55 for the second wicket.
South Africa women win by five wickets! Excellent batting from @chloetryon25 (34) and @SuneLuus (41), has seen them beat India with an over to spare! #SAvIND 3rd T20I Scorecard: https://t.co/yJUcVsPcRF pic.twitter.com/JNRr713vnY
— ICC (@ICC) February 18, 2018
India's progress was slowed when the leg-spinner van Niekerk induced a false stroke from Mandhana, who was caught at deep mid-wicket, but Harmanpreet continued to look in imperious form, hitting six fours and two sixes in her 30-ball knock. However, when she became Ismail's first victim, edging behind, the innings slumped from 93/2 to 133 all out in the space of 6.3 overs.
Ismail was the chief destroyer, bowling with pace and aggression to torment India's lower order. The 29-year-old found Poonam Yadav's edge in the 18th over to wrap up the innings and complete her five-for.
In reply, Pooja Vastrakar saw off the big hitting Lee for just 5 but van Niekerk (26), Luus (41) and Mignon du Preez (20) kept South Africa well on track for victory.
The required run rate always looked in control and Chloe Tryon ensured there were no major alarms towards the end of the innings, smashing 34 from 15 deliveries before falling to the off-spinner Anuja Patil with just three runs required having hit two consecutive boundaries.
Kapp then finished the good work she had started with the crucial early wicket of Raj, hitting the winning run with an over to spare to leave the series scoreline 2-1 in India's favour with two matches to play.