England and South Africa are gearing up for the third and final T20I of the series, with the contest locked at 1-1. The much-awaited decider will be played today, September 14 at 7:00 PM IST at the historic Trent Bridge in Nottingham. Both sides have had contrasting journeys in the first two games, making the finale a must-watch encounter.
England came into this clash after delivering a breathtaking batting performance in the second T20I, where they smashed past the 300-run mark to level the series. Their openers have been in scintillating form, while the bowlers showed composure in crunch moments.
Led by Harry Brook, the team will be eager to extend their dominance, ride on the momentum, and wrap up the series in style.
Eng vs SA: South Africa look for redemption
South Africa impressed in the opening match, showcasing both batting depth and bowling discipline in a rain-curtailed affair. But the second T20I turned out to be a nightmare, with their batters struggling to convert starts and bowlers failing to maintain control.
Skipper Aiden Markram will hope his side bounces back strongly from the setback and plays fearless cricket in the all-important decider.
England vs South Africa: Head-to-head records
England and South Africa have faced each other 28 times in T20Is. The head-to-head record is very tight, with South Africa slightly ahead at 14 wins, while England have registered 13 victories.
Only one game between the two has ended without a result, showing just how evenly matched the sides have been over the years.
England vs South Africa: Pitch report
Trent Bridge has traditionally been a batting paradise, producing many high-scoring thrillers in T20 cricket. However, in recent franchise games, batters have found it tricky in the early overs as both pacers and spinners extracted help from the surface.
But as the game progresses, stroke-making becomes smoother, and chasing has often proven to be the easier option at this venue.
England vs South Africa: Probable playing XI
England: Phil Salt (wk), Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Tom Banton, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka, Bjorn Fortuin.
England vs South Africa: When and where to watch
The third T20I will take place at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Sunday, 14th September. The match will begin at 7:00 PM IST and the toss will be held at 6:30 PM IST.
The match will be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network. Fans can also stream the third T20I live on the SonyLiv and FanCode apps and websites.