A five-match T20 International series between the hosts India and South Africa reaches the penultimate stage with the all-important fourth match Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow. With India leading 2-1 A comprehensive seven-wicket win in Dharamsalathe home team will look to secure the elusive series victory. South Africa, who have shown flashes of brilliance but have struggled with consistency, need to win this match to keep the series alive and force a decider. The focus for both sides will be to adapt quickly to the tough Lucknow surface, known for its slow nature.
IND vs SA, 4th T20I: Match details
| Detail | Information |
| Date and Time | December 17 (Wednesday); 19:00 IST / 13:30 GMT / 19:00 LOCAL |
| Location | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| Head to Head Record (T20Is) | India leads overall 20 wins Against South Africa 12 winshighlighting India’s overall dominance in the format 1 game ended in vain. |
Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow Pitch Report
The Ekana Cricket Stadium pitch is notorious for being slow and low, offering a significant challenge to a free-flowing batting game. Historically, the surface has favored pace bowlers who use variations and, crucially, spinners who can get good spin and grip, although recent BBL matches have shown pacers dominating the wickets. The average first innings score at this venue is modest at around 151 and defensive totals have been more successful than chasing in T20Is. However, dew remains a concern for the second bowling team. A score between 160-170 can be highly competitive. The captain who wins the toss can choose to bat first to put runs on the board and use any turn in the second innings.
India vs South Africa: Team dynamics and key players
India: India’s strength lies in its bowling attack which bowled out the Proteas for a paltry 117 in the last game. Varun ChakrabortyBrilliant support from the leading wicket-taker of the series, has been unplayable Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. Although their batting is strong, it needs more consistency from the captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gillonly with Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma looks comfortable. India will rely on their spin duo and all-round value Hardik Pandya to seal the series.
South Africa: South Africa, in particular, is in dire need of star studs Quinton de Kock, Devald Brewisand Tristan Stubbscollective firing. captain Aiden Markram he has been a lone warrior with the bat and he needs to find support. Their pace attack, featuring Anrich Nortje and Good luck (which is great with 6 doors) will enjoy conditions where variations are key. choosing spin options like Keshav Maharaj will be vital to restrict the hosts and ensure they fight back to level the series.
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IND vs SA, 4th T20I: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- India win the toss first
- India powerplay score: 50-60 (6 overs)
- India Total Score: 170-185
Case 2:
- South Africa win the toss first
- South Africa powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
- South Africa total score: 155-170
Match result: India won the competition
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