Team India stands on the cusp of a series victory as they gear up to face South Africa in the crucial fourth T20 International at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium on Wednesday. Holding a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, the Men in Blue have a golden opportunity to seal the deal and take an unassailable 3-1 lead against the Proteas.
Team News and Predicted Playing XIs
India's campaign has been hit by the absence of all-rounder Axar Patel, who has been ruled out of the remainder of the series due to illness. The status of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah remains uncertain after he missed the third T20I. In light of these developments, the Indian think tank is likely to field the same playing eleven that triumphed in Dharamsala on Sunday.
India's Predicted XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy.
South Africa's Predicted XI: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (Wicketkeeper), Aiden Markram (Captain), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman.
Key Players to Watch
All eyes will be on Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav. While his leadership has been stellar, with India winning over 80% of matches under his captaincy, his personal form with the bat has been a concern. With the T20 World Cup on the horizon next year, the team management will be eager to see their skipper return to his destructive best at the crease.
For South Africa, the explosive Quinton de Kock will be the danger man. On a pitch expected to favor batters early on, the Proteas will hope their opener replicates his blistering 46-ball 90 from the second T20I in Mullanpur. A similar performance could level the series and set up a thrilling finale.
Head-to-Head and Match Logistics
The historical record in T20Is favors India, who have won 20 out of the 34 matches played between the two sides, with South Africa victorious in 13. The fourth T20I is scheduled for a 7:00 PM IST start on Wednesday.
Fans in India can catch all the live action on the Star Sports Network for television broadcast. The match will also be streamed live digitally on the JioCinema app and website.
With the series on the line, both teams are poised for a high-stakes clash. India will back their spin-heavy attack and home advantage, while South Africa will rely on their power-hitters to force a decider. The Ekana Stadium in Lucknow is set for a thrilling evening of T20 cricket.
