A rampant India defeated South Africa by 30 runs in the fifth and final Twenty20 International on Friday and ended 2025 with a 3-1 series triumph thanks to smashing fifties from Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma as well as a four-for from Varun Chakravarthy.
Tilak scored a smooth 73 to help India to a formidable 231/5, while Pandya went hammer and tongs for the second-fastest half-century for India in 16 balls. As long as Quinton de Kock (65) was in the middle, South Africa’s reply was on course, but they ended at 201/8 after losing seven wickets for 81 runs.
De Kock went after Arshdeep Singh (1/47) as India held Jasprit Bumrah (4-0-17-2) back for the later stages. The left-arm bowler was hit for six fours and a six in two overs during the powerplay, setting the tone for the Proteas.
However, Reeza Hendricks (13) had another lackluster performance as De Kock alone carried out the heavy lifting in the powerplay in a lopsided approach to pursuing 230-plus. Shivam Dube’s outstanding one-handed grab for Chakravarthy’s first wicket at midwicket terminated his stay.
Unfazed, De Kock and Dewald Brevis (31) combined for 51 off 23 balls for the second wicket, and by the halfway point, South Africa was in a perfect position to chase down the target.
Bumrah foxed De Kock with a shot that had the left-hander giving a return catch, which the Indian clutched on to in the eleventh over as runs were pouring in from both ends. Pandya (1/41) then dismissed Brevis in the subsequent over.
But Chakravarthy (4-0-53-4), who struck twice in as many balls in the 13th over, really put the Proteas under pressure.
While attempting a paddle sweep, he pinned Aiden Markram leg-before. He then unleashed a stunning shot that got past Donovan Ferreira’s defense and pegged the off-stump.
South Africa lost the plot from 120/1 in the 11th over with David Miller’s mishit off Arshdeep in the 15th over.
Earlier, Tilak scored a smooth 73 to help the hosts set a formidable 232-run target, and Pandya (63) got the second-fastest T20I fifty for India.
Pandya’s eighth half-century (63 from 25 balls) came off just 16 balls in a furious knock that included five sixes and an equal number of fours. This is currently the second-fastest half-century ever for an Indian, with Yuvraj Singh’s 12-ball milestone against England at Kingsmead back in 2007 still holding the top spot.
In a superb fourth-wicket stand with Tilak, he added 105 off just 44 balls at a time when India’s momentum had stalled and they ended at 231/5.
Tilak once again demonstrated his range of ground strokes, scoring 73 off 42 balls with 10 fours and a six, even though Pandya produced a mile-a-minute knock.
At his previous IPL home ground, Pandya walked out amid chants of his name as India’s out of form captain Suryakumar Yadav (5) suffered yet another setback.
The ball flew high into the bleachers of the biggest stadium in the world thanks to Pandya’s powerful strokes.
After early fireworks from Abhishek Sharma (34) and Sanju Samson (37), Tilak offered assurance with a second half-century of the series, skillfully combining aggression with strike rotation.
With India’s vice-captain Shubman Gill unavailable due to injury, Samson sparkled on what is now a rare chance to open and nearly made a compelling case for discussion for the World Cup selection in Mumbai on Saturday.
But, as has frequently happened, Samson made all the correct moves until George Linde’s stunning ball, which pitched on leg stump, gripped, and then beat Samson’s bat to crash into the middle stump, undid him.
He made a powerful impression at the top of the order, starting with a six over wide long-on against Marco Jansen and continuing with two magnificent knocks down the wicket off Ottneil Baartman.
Neither Abhishek nor Samson took their foot off the pedal while scoring 63 runs for the first wicket, offering a glimpse of another potentially successful duo that was specifically designed for the format.
Samson also received a lifeline just before he was dismissed when a strong shot that went straight back to bowler Donovan Ferreira broke through his hands and struck umpire Rohan Pandit close to the knee roll.
A TV crew member was later hurt by Pandya’s six, sustaining a large bruising on his left bicep while onlookers enjoyed balls landing ten rows behind.
