Rilee Rossouw took the India attack apart with a stunning 48-ball century as South Africa secured a consolation 49-win Twenty20 International run victory.
After a pair of ducks in the opening two matches, Rossouw cracked 100 not out on Tuesday as the Proteas rattled to 227-3, before limiting the hosts to 178 all out at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.
India, armed with a 2-0 lead, were seeking to seal a series sweep ahead of three ODIs, but they did not threaten to get near South Africa's total.
South Africa opener Quinton de Kock made 68 from 43 deliveries and shared in a second-wicket stand of 90 with Rossouw, before the latter cut loose, with eight sixes in his maiden T20I ton.
India suffered a wretched start to their reply as they lost Rohit Sharma (0) and Shreyas Iyer (1) inside 10 balls.
From 4-2, they recovered somewhat, stepping up the run rate significantly, but Rishabh Pant (27) and Dinesh Karthik (46) had to keep going to make it competitive. Both were gone by the end of the seventh over, and so in essence was India's hope of victory.
India were seven wickets down by the time they got halfway to their target and a late flurry from the hosts serving essentially as crowd-pleasing batting practice. Lungi Ngidi took 2-51, in the process becoming the sixth South African bowler to reach 50 T20I wickets.
Dwaine Pretorius claimed 3-26 as the tourists finished the series on a high note.
Curious life of Rilee
Rossouw's ducks in the first two matches of this series were his third and fourth in T20Is, which is hardly ideal considering they were just his 18th and 19th innings in the short format. He has 12 sub-20 scores (including a 19no) in T20Is, but showed his class with a stunning century. It came as a mesmerising rate, with Rossouw topping his previous best of 96 not out, which came against England in Cardiff in July of this year.
A word, too, for De Kock, who passed the 2,000-run mark in T20Is, becoming the second player, after David Miller, to achieve that feat for the Proteas.
Twenty20 20 sets a record
Umesh Yadav's unbeaten knock of 20 was the highest individual score by an Indian batter coming in at number 10 or below in the batting order in men's T20Is. It made ostensibly no difference, but coach Rahul Dravid was seeking runs all the way down the order so would have taken that as a small positive.
Sesko opts for Leipzig stay over Arsenal, Man Utd move due to progress opportunities
Benjamin Sesko remains certain that staying at RB Leipzig is the "right decision" to develop his career after turning down reported Premier League interest.
Slovenia international Sesko joined Leipzig from RB Salzburg in 2023, scoring 14 league goals last campaign, a tally bettered by only seven players in the German top flight.
That form was said to have attracted Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea to the 21-year-old, who instead signed a new five-year contract with the Bundesliga club last month.
Having committed his future to life at the Red Bull Arena, the striker believes Leipzig will provide a platform for his progression.
"I thought it through very well," Sesko said to Nogomania, a Slovenian media outlet. "I believe I made the right decision. I wanted to gain more experience, learn more, and not rush things.
"Leipzig are an excellent club that can provide what I need for the next step. Leipzig's vision is clear; everything is geared towards growth, progress, and high goals. I felt it was right to decide this way."
Sesko's new deal could see him stay with Leipzig until 2029, with Marco Rose boasting one of the world's most exciting prospects up top.
The Leipzig attacker scored from 14 of his 47 shots last season in the league, a conversion rate of 29.8% – the third-best ratio in the 2023-24 Bundesliga among players to have managed at least five goals.
That deadly finishing in front of goal will have Rose excited once more, and Sesko says his boss was key to the decision to stay.
"We talked," Sesko explained. "He told me he wanted me to stay but also said I should decide based on my feelings.
"He said if I felt I needed to move on, I should go, but if not, I should stay. He's an excellent coach who has led many great players.
"I'm glad I decided this way. I did it before the Euro to keep a clear head and focus entirely on the championship."
Bashir credits 'class' Leach for his recent England success
Shoaib Bashir has drawn inspiration from fellow England spinner Jack Leach, following his stunning five-wicket haul against West Indies.
Bashir recorded figures of 5-41 at Trent Bridge to become the first spinner since Muttiah Muralitharan in 2006 to take five wickets in a men's Test match.
The 20-year-old also became England's youngest ever bowler to take five wickets in a home Test as the hosts confirmed the series win on Sunday.
Bashir replaced Somerset team-mate Leach for the home Test series against West Indies after impressing on England’s tour of India.
Prior to being picked for their 4-1 Test defeat to the Men in Blue, Bashir had played in six first-class matches and picked up two five-wicket hauls in three matches.
"We had a chat, and he was over the moon for me," Bashir told BBC Sport on his conversation with Leach after his performance at Trent Bridge.
"Leachy understandably is getting in the Somerset team ahead of me. He's played a lot more cricket than me and he's a class spinner. I've learned a lot from him.
"A lot of things have happened over the last few years for myself personally, and I'm just grateful for everything."
Still behind Leach in the Somerset pecking order, Bashir went on loan to Worcestershire in order to remain in the County Championship.
Bashir did not feature in England's first Test meeting with the Windies, as they won by an innings and 114 runs in James Anderson's final match.
At six feet and four inches, he is unusually tall for a spinner and his release point of 2.35 metres is the third-highest recorded for a slow bowler in Test cricket.
Nevertheless, England believe it will serve as a weapon on the hard, bouncy pitches ahead of the 2025-26 Ashes series in Australia.
"I'm grateful I'm a six foot four inch spinner because it's a nice attribute to have," Bashir said. "If you land the ball in the right areas, a few will bounce and a few will skid on, so the bounce does help.
"It's always a learning curve. I'm grateful for everything that's been given to me, and I've just got to keep working hard. I'm still learning, still developing."
Gambhir will not 'complicate' India's winning formula
India's new head coach Gautam Gambhir says he does not want to "complicate too many things" as he prepares to take charge of the team for the first time.
India were crowned T20 World Cup champions last month, with Rahul Dravid bowing out of his time in charge on a high.
Dravid was head coach for two-and-a-half years, leading them to the finals of a world event in each of the three formats.
Gambhir's tenure begins on July 27 with India's white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, as the 42-year-old steps into his first head coaching job, having previously worked as a mentor for Indian Premier League sides, Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants.
Gambhir admitted he did not want to make too many changes given India's recent success and believes the key to that is to start by building trust.
"It is very simple," Gambhir said in his first interview as head coach, "it is important to give players freedom - that's what I believe in - and not have a relationship of a head coach and a player.
"The best relationship is one built on trust. The most important thing is they'll always have my backing.
"I don't complicate too many things. I am taking over a very, very successful team - India are T20 world champions, have been runners-up in the World Test Championship and the 50-overs World Cup."
As a player, Gambhir enjoyed a 13-year career which saw him win the World Cup in 2007 and 2011.
Despite not having a lot of coaching experience behind him, Gambhir knows what it takes to win in big moments.
"My learning has been simple - it has been all about winning," he added.
"I don't deviate from something. We are in a profession where there can be only one winner. We try and play fair, we try and play hard, and try and come back in a winning dressing room and a happy dressing room.
"A happy dressing room is a winning dressing room. Ultimately, it is the players' team. The support staff is there to try and get the maximum out of their potential.
"Sometimes international cricket can be tough, it can be insecure as well, because only 15 can be picked. It is the job of support staff to keep them happy."
India's T20I series begins on July 27 in Pallekele.
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