Cape Town: South Africa beat India by seven wickets to win the third Test and secure the series 2-1. Resuming the fourth day of Test 101 for two, South Africa go the job done in 63.3 overs with major contributions coming from Keegan Petersen (82), Rassie van der Dussen (41 not out) and Temba Bavuma (32 not out).
Petersen was the only one dismissed on the day as he played one on to his stumps off Shardul Thakur.
The day began with Petersen reaching his second half-century of the match with a brace on a thick edge going through the third man. It also meant Petersen crossed fifty thrice in the series, including twice in the ongoing match. India pacers Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah asked many questions while beating the outer edges but couldn't get a wicket early on.
Rassie van der Dussen pounced on everything with width and also survived a caught behind appeal off Shami as the bat touched the ground while looking to drive. Petersen continued to impress with his off-side play and had a reprieve at 59 when Jasprit Bumrah found an outer edge with a peach of delivery but Cheteshwar Pujara couldn't hold onto the catch at the first slip.
Van der Dussen clipped Umesh Yadav through mid-wicket while Petersen took two more boundaries through the off-side off Shami and Bumrah. The 54-run partnership was broken by Shardul Thakur, who got Petersen to chop onto his stumps and fall 18 runs short of his maiden Test hundred.
Petersen's fall got India to keep things tight till Temba Bavuma punched off backfoot and then creamed a drive through extra cover off Bumrah to restart the run-flow for South Africa. Thakur almost had van der Dussen's wicket but the right-hander survived via umpire's call on an lbw appeal as South Africa inched closer to the series win.
India had won the opening Test in Centurion by 113 runs before the hosts bounced back in Johannesburg with a seven-wicket victory.
The contest was seen as India's best chance to win their maiden series in South Africa.
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