5th T20I: Gill-less India all-round show seals series 3-1, end 2025 on a high.
Defending champions India ended 2025 with a bang, defeating South Africa by 30 runs in the fifth and final T20I at Ahmedabad to clinch the series 3-1. Despite missing Shubman Gill, India produced a commanding all-round display to post a huge 231/5 and then restrict the visitors to 201/8.
Bowlers turn the tide
Chasing 232 in heavy dew, South Africa raced to 118/1 at the halfway mark, powered by Quinton de Kock (65 off 36) and Dewald Brevis. The momentum shifted once the ball dried. Jasprit Bumrah led the fightback with figures of 4-0-17-2, while Varun Chakravarthy snared four crucial wickets, helping India take four wickets for 15 runs in a decisive middle-overs collapse. Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya also picked key wickets to tighten the screws.
South Africa threatened briefly in the final overs, with Marco Jansen hitting consecutive sixes, but Bumrah closed the door, claiming the last wicket in the 17th over.
Hardik and Tilak power India’s innings
Earlier, Hardik Pandya (63 off 25) and Tilak Varma (73 off 42) lit up the Narendra Modi Stadium with a blistering fourth-wicket partnership of 105 runs off 44 balls. Hardik’s 16-ball fifty was the second-fastest by an Indian in T20Is, highlighted by five sixes and as many fours. Tilak provided composure, blending aggression with intelligent strike rotation, guiding India to a mammoth 231/5.
Key takeaways
- India’s all-round strength shone despite Gill’s absence.
- Strategic use of Bumrah and Varun in middle and death overs turned the match.
- Hardik’s power-hitting and Tilak’s stability anchored a huge total.
- India extended their streak to 10 consecutive T20I series/tournament wins and eight straight bilateral T20I series victories since December 2023.
With this dominant performance, India not only ended the year on a high but also sent a strong message ahead of upcoming T20 contests.
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