दक्षिण अफ्रीका vs वेस्ट इंडीज, तीसरा टी-20 Commentary, Live Updates

Words from the Proteas camp - Lungi Ngidi says Pink Day carries special meaning for him, with members of his family having been affected by breast cancer, and playing for a cause like this makes the occasion even more significant. He smiles and says that the series has witnessed some aggressive batting, with wickets not always favouring the bowlers. Ngidi also adds that it was great sharing the dressing room with a few players from the West Indies during the SA20.

A quick word - Akeal Hosein spoke briefly to the broadcaster ahead of the match. He believes venues like the Wanderers and Centurion demand extra runs as the ball travels quickly. He feels teams should look for an additional 15 to 20 runs and highlights the importance of using defensive options soon after the powerplay. Drawing from his SA20 experience, Hosein notes that conditions here can vary, with some surfaces offering turn while others remain good for batting. He adds that reading the conditions early, understanding the short and long boundaries, and using them smartly is key.

UPDATE - 4.15 pm GMT - There is still no rain, but play remains on hold due to lightning in the area. According to a few sources, the match officials will wait before making a decision on whether conditions are fit for play, with regulations requiring no lightning within a 30-kilometre radius of the stadium. We have an hour's buffer before we start losing overs. Stick around for further updates.

We are done with the pre-match formalities. There are a few threatening grey clouds around, but let's hope they stay away. Aiden Markram and his men disperse from the huddle and take the field. Uh, oh, there is lightning in the vicinity of the stadium, and the players are going off. It is not raining at the moment, but the ground staff are bringing on the covers as a precautionary measure.

We are moments away from the first ball, but before that, the two teams and match officials will line up for the national anthems. It is a packed house already, with many in the crowd dressed in pink for the occasion. It will be West Indies' anthem first, followed by that of South Africa.

PITCH REPORT - Pommie Mbangwa is pitchside. He shares that there was bright sunshine when the teams arrived at the Wanderers, but some cloud cover has moved in since. Mentions that the square boundaries measure 62 and 67 metres, with the straight boundary at 79 metres. Adds that due to the altitude, clearing the ropes should not be too difficult for the batters. Mentions that the surface looks very dry, with a mosaic effect throughout and not much grass binding it together. Feels that there will be enough for the spinners to work with, but whether the seamers can extract anything remains to be seen.

West Indies (Playing XI) - Shai Hope (C/WK), Johnson Charles (In for Brandon King), Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Matthew Forde, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Shamar Joseph (In for Jayden Seales), Gudakesh Motie (In for Sherfane Rutherford) and Akeal Hosein.

South Africa (Playing XI) - Aiden Markram (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs, George Linde (In for Anrich Nortje), Corbin Bosch (In for Marco Jansen), Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka and Lungi Ngidi (In for Kagiso Rabada).

The captain of West Indies - Shai Hope says that they would have bowled first as well, as they are not sure how the wicket will play and wanted to make first use of it. Shares that while the focus remains on winning every game, the broader objective is fine-tuning combinations and preparing for the World Cup.  Tells that there has been talk in the group about maximising the scoring, and it is a work in progress. Informs that they have made 3 changes for this game.

The captain of South Africa - Aiden Markram opted to bowl first, citing a dry pitch and the potential for incoming showers as key reasons for preferring a chase. Embracing the significance of the Pink Day occasion, Markram highlighted the team’s excitement to play for a larger cause while seeking to refine their game ahead of the World Cup. He urged his squad to play fearless cricket, viewing the match as a vital opportunity to assess players under pressure. As part of a planned rotation strategy, the Proteas made three changes to their lineup, bringing in Corbin Bosch, George Linde, and Lungi Ngidi.

TOSS - The coin goes up and comes down in favour of Aiden Markram. South Africa elect to BOWL first.

Pink day special - It is that day in the South African cricket calendar when they don pink jerseys to raise awareness and funds in the fight against breast cancer. It is usually during an ODI in the South African summer, but with no ODIs scheduled this season, the tradition is making its first appearance in a T20I today. Stay tuned for the toss and team news.

Windies with work to do - West Indies have shown noticeable improvement with the bat over the course of the series, but their bowling attack has struggled to make an impact. Fielding has also been a concern for the men in maroon, with lapses in both catching and ground fielding proving costly. Quentin Sampson may not yet possess a proven T20 pedigree, but West Indies have taken a punt on the hard-hitting right-hander based on his performances in the CPL. Tonight could be the ideal opportunity to give him a go before the World Cup.

South Africa on the rise - After failing to clinch their previous five T20I series, this outcome comes as a significant confidence boost for South Africa heading into the global event. There is further good news for the hosts, with David Miller medically cleared for the World Cup following an adductor muscle strain sustained during the SA20. In both games so far, Aiden Markram has won the toss and opted to chase, and should the opportunity present itself again, the Proteas may look to test themselves by defending a total.

Final tune-up in Joburg - Hello and welcome to our coverage of the 3rd T20I at the Wanderers Stadium. South Africa have already sealed the series with convincing wins in the first two matches and will be keen to complete a clean sweep. West Indies, meanwhile, will be eager to end the tour on a positive note and carry momentum into the upcoming World Cup.

... MATCH DAY ...

Final encounter - The three-match T20I series between West Indies and South Africa reaches its conclusion at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, but the series has already been decided. South Africa has secured an unassailable 2-0 lead with clinical nine and seven-wicket victories in the first two matches in Paarl and Centurion, respectively. This final match offers both teams a last chance to fine-tune combinations before the upcoming T20 World Cup. Proteas aim for the sweep - South Africa's performance has been dominant, with their batters, particularly Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, and Ryan Rickelton, making light work of large targets. De Kock's century in the second T20I highlighted their batting depth and aggressive approach. For this final game, the Proteas will be looking to complete a convincing 3-0 series sweep to build maximum momentum and confidence before they board their flight for the World Cup. They might also look to give some bench players an opportunity in this dead rubber. Windies seek bowling and top-order fixes - For the West Indies, the series has been a tale of batting firepower clashing with inconsistent bowling and top-order struggles. While the middle order, notably Shimron Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford, has performed exceptionally well with vital partnerships and high strike rates, the top-order has been brittle, and the bowlers have struggled to contain the flow of runs. Hetmyer's good form is a major positive, but the team desperately needs their bowlers, like Akeal Hosein and Romario Shepherd, to find their rhythm and restrict the opposition's scoring on what is expected to be another batting-friendly surface at The Wanderers. Form (Last 5 completed T20Is, most recent first) - South Africa - WWLLW | West Indies - LLWLL. Expect another run feast - As the series stands at 2-0 to South Africa, the final T20I will be all about pride and preparation. With both teams eager to finalize their optimal playing XIs and strategies, expect an exciting and competitive match as the West Indies push for a consolation win and South Africa chase a clean sweep.