India Clinch T20 Series Against South Africa 3-1 With Convincing Win in Fifth Match

Ahmedabad, December 19, 2025: India sealed the five-match T20 International series against South Africa with a dominant 30-run victory in the fifth and final game, winning the contest 3-1 on Friday.

Batting first, the Indian team posted a competitive total of 231 for five in their allotted 20 overs. Tilak Varma anchored the innings with a fluent 73 off 42 deliveries, while Hardik Pandya provided late momentum with a blistering 63 from just 25 balls. Sanju Samson contributed 37 runs and Abhishek Sharma added 34 as India maintained a strong scoring rate throughout the innings.

Chasing a target of 232, South Africa struggled to keep pace and were restricted to 201 for eight in 20 overs. Quinton de Kock top-scored for the visitors with 65 off 35 balls, but lacked support at the other end. Varun Chakravarthy led India’s bowling attack with four wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with two crucial breakthroughs.

Pandya’s all-round performance earned him the Player of the Match award, while Varun Chakravarthy was named Player of the Series for his consistent impact with the ball across the matches.

Pandya also reached his half-century in just 16 balls, registering India’s second-fastest fifty in T20 Internationals. The record for the fastest fifty by an Indian continues to be held by Yuvraj Singh, who achieved the feat in 12 balls.

With this victory, India underlined their depth in both batting and bowling, finishing the series on a strong note against a competitive South African side.