India vs South Africa 5th T20I: Hardik And Tilak Unleash Mayhem In Series Decider

The series finale between India and South Africa in Ahmedabad turned into a masterclass of power-hitting on Friday, December 19, 2025. Batting first after losing the toss, India posted a massive 231/5, their second-highest T20I total at this venue, courtesy of a record-breaking blitz from Hardik Pandya and a classy half-century from Tilak Varma.

Pandya’s Powerplay: A 16-Ball Record

Hardik Pandya stole the headlines with a performance that earned a standing ovation from head coach Gautam Gambhir.

• Record Milestone: Pandya reached his half-century in just 16 balls, making it the second-fastest T20I fifty by an Indian, trailing only Yuvraj Singh’s legendary 12-ball effort.
• Cameraman Incident: The “Pandya Carnage” began with his very first ball, a massive six over long-off that accidentally struck a cameraman on the arm. The official was quickly attended to by the Indian team physio.
• The Final Stats: Hardik finished with 63 off 25 balls, including 5 fours and 5 towering sixes.

The Supporting Cast

• Tilak Varma’s Consistency: Varma continued his stellar run, anchoring the innings with a mature 73 off 42 balls. His 105-run partnership with Pandya (off just 44 balls) completely took the game away from the Proteas.
• Samson’s Statement: In the absence of Shubman Gill (ruled out due to a toe injury), Sanju Samson opened the innings and smashed a quick-fire 37 off 22, including a massive six that accidentally struck umpire Rohan Pandit on the knee.
• Abhishek Sharma: Provided the initial momentum with 34 off 21, welcoming Marco Jansen with three consecutive boundaries in the second over.

Selection Headaches Before World Cup Reveal

The match served as the final audition before the T20 World Cup 2026 squad announcement, scheduled for Saturday, December 20, at 1:30 PM IST.

• SKY’s Slump: Captain Suryakumar Yadav’s form remains a concern; he fell for just 5 off 7 balls, his third low score of the series.
• Bumrah’s Return: India boosted their bowling by bringing back Jasprit Bumrah for Harshit Rana, while Washington Sundar replaced Kuldeep Yadav.