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India delivered a dominant all-round performance to defeat South Africa by 30 runs in the fifth T20I at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on December 19, 2025, securing the series 3-1. Hardik Pandya’s blistering 63 off 25 balls, including a second-fastest T20I fifty for an Indian in just 16 balls, propelled India to 231/5, while Varun Chakravarthy claimed 4/53 to derail the Proteas’ chase. This victory marked India’s 10th straight T20I series win, showcasing their depth in batting and bowling.
India’s Batting Fireworks
India posted 231/5 after South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to field first. Openers Abhishek Sharma (37 off 24) and Sanju Samson (34 off 21) laid a solid 63-run stand in the powerplay, racing to 50 in just 4.4 overs with aggressive strokeplay including multiple fours.
Suryakumar Yadav struggled, scoring 25 off 19 before chipping a catch to mid-off, leaving India at 115/3 in 12.1 overs. Tilak Varma then anchored with a fluent 73 off 42 (10 fours, 1 six), reaching his fifty off 30 balls and adding crucial momentum. The highlight was Hardik’s entry in the 13th over; he smashed a six off his first ball, striking a cameraman at long-off, and unleashed mayhem against George Linde, plundering 27 runs in one over with three sixes and two fours.
Hardik’s knock featured five fours and five sixes at a strike rate of 252, bettering all but Yuvraj Singh’s 12-ball fifty for India in T20Is. He and Tilak forged a 105-run fourth-wicket stand off 44 balls, pushing India past 200 in 17.4 overs. Shivam Dube (10* off 3) and Jitesh Sharma (0*) finished unbeaten as Lungi Ngidi (0/29), Marco Jansen (0/50), and Ottneil Baartman (1/39) toiled without much success.
Key milestones included India’s 150 in 13.5 overs and 200 in 17.4 overs, setting a daunting target under lights with dew favoring the chase.
Ind vs Sa T20/sbkinews.in
South Africa’s Fiery Start Falters
Chasing 232, South Africa exploded early with Quinton de Kock (65 off 35, 7 fours, 3 sixes) and Reeza Hendricks (13 off 12) racing to 50 in 3.3 overs. De Kock smashed Arshdeep Singh for three boundaries in the second over, reaching fifty off 30 balls as the openers added 69 before Washington Sundar induced Hendricks’ catch at midwicket off a Shivam Dube stunner in the seventh over.
Dewald Brevis (31 off 17) joined de Kock for a 51-run stand, taking South Africa to 118/1 in 10 overs and 150 in 13.6 overs, with de Kock eyeing a massive knock. Jasprit Bumrah (2/17) sparked the collapse, dismissing de Kock with a caught-and-bowled yorker-slower ball in the 11th over. Brevis fell next to a slower bouncer from Sundar, caught at long-on.
Aiden Markram (6 off 4) lbw to Varun (umpire’s call on review), Donovan Ferreira (0 off 1) bowled, and David Miller (18 off 14) top-edged defined the slide from 122/2 to 135/5. George Linde (16 off 8) holed out to Varun’s wrong’un before Marco Jansen edged a Bumrah off-cutter (caught behind on review). Corbin Bosch (17* off 15) and Lungi Ngidi (7* off 9) added 24, but Abhishek Sharma conceded just 13 in the final over as South Africa ended at 201/8.
Ind vs Sa T20/sbkinews.in
Bowling Heroes Seal the Deal
Varun Chakravarthy’s maiden T20I four-fer (4/53) earned him Player of the Series with 10 wickets across four matches, dismissing Hendricks, Markram, Ferreira, and Linde despite leaking three sixes. Bumrah’s economical 4-0-17-2 spell, including key strikes, proved match-winning on a high-scoring night. Hardik chipped in with 1/41 from three overs.
Arshdeep (1/47) and Sundar (0/30) supported, while Abhishek’s final over limited damage. South Africa’s middle order crumbled, losing six wickets for 57 runs after the top-order promise.
Ind vs Sa T20/sbkinews.in
Series Context and Key Stats
This win completed a 3-1 series triumph for India, who dominated the first (101-run win), lost the second (51 runs), won the third (7 wickets), and rested stars in the fourth. Hardik’s 63 was his seventh T20I fifty; Tilak’s 73 highlighted his consistency.
South Africa reached 200 in 19.5 overs but fell short, their chase scuttled by spin and death bowling. Extras cost 14 wides, adding pressure. Varun’s 2025 haul: 36 wickets in 20 T20Is.
India’s depth shone without Shubman Gill (foot injury), with Samson stepping up. The Ahmedabad crowd erupted for Hardik’s ovation-worthy knock and the series seal.
